Andy Murray was injured on Wednesday after five games in his second-round match against Australian Jordan Thompson at Queen’s Club, a recurrence of a lower back problem that has reportedly bothered him for weeks.
Murray appeared to be moving slowly early in the first change, flailing around the net after being broken in the opening game of the match.
At 1-2, after serving unable to complete a full swing, he requested a medical timeout in which a physio massaged his lower back as he lay on the court.
Murray then returned to the grass but continued to struggle with the movement – unassisted by a ruthless Thomson, teasing him with a dropshot in front of the court that drew emotional cheers from the crowd, followed by another to go 3-1 up. , 0-15 on Murray’s serve.
A double fault gave the Australian another break as Murray sat dejectedly in his chair at 1-4 and again called the coach back to court before shaking hands with Thompson.
After the match, Murray reported that he experienced a „loss of power in my right leg” as well as a recurring injury. „So no motor control, no coordination, unable to move,” he said.
Murray was forced to withdraw from the match (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
He confirmed that the problem started even before he entered the court, saying, „I was very comfortable during my pre-match warm-up today.
„Then when I went up the stairs before going to the court my right leg didn’t have the usual strength.
„It’s not the usual feeling, and then the first two balls in the warm-up my right foot was not very coordinated.”
The five-time Queen’s champion described the injury as „nerve-type discomfort” and said she would have a scan tomorrow to assess what she can do ahead of Wimbledon, which starts on July 1.
For her part, Thompson is impressively collected in the face of one of the most confusing parts of being a tennis player: facing someone who can’t really move without thinking about what to do about it.
The Australian said he will face either Milos Raonic or Taylor Fritz in the next round.
“I really learned from him that when he was playing, if a guy had an injury or a cramp or something, he would always use a drop shot or try and take it down the line.
„I think that’s the benefit of being a lot younger than him and watching him play.”
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(Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)