STARNBERG, June 24, 2019 (Sponsored)
Following a second right hip surgery on 28 January 2019, Andy Murray has played his first tournament since the Australian Open. The 32-year-old Briton teamed up with Spanish veteran Feliciano Lopez in doubles at the Fever-Tree Championships at London’s Queen’s Club last week.
Murray suffered from arthritis in his right hip, with the pain so bad in the end that the Scot appeared to announce his imminent retirement earlier this season.
In a highly emotional press conference ahead of the Australian Open in Melbourne in January, Murray revealed that the right hip pain that caused him to have surgery one year ago has not gone away.
“Obviously I’ve been struggling for a long time, and I’ve been in a lot of pain for about 20 months now,” Murray told Betway at the beginning of the year.
That is why the former World No. 1 went under the knife for the second time at the end of January to undertake a hip resurfacing, which involves the implantation of a metal cap onto the ball of the hip joint and a metal socket into the ‘cup’ of the hip joint
“There is no turning back from now,” says Winston Kim, a hip surgeon from Manchester Hip & Knee Clinic.
“It was clearly a very carefully considered decision. He will have had an awareness of the intended benefits of resurfacing.
“If it fails, the next option would be a hip replacement. I’m sure he didn’t take the decision lightly; the vast majority of hip surgeons would be nervous about performing a hip resurfacing because of the potential risks, particularly in such a young, elite athlete.
“There’s a difference between being able to run and being able to play tennis at the highest-level play with abandon.”
Murray, however, decided to compete in doubles at the prestigious Queen’s Club and showed a remarkable performance, winning the title of the ATP 500 grass-court event. It seemed that the new metal hip stood up to the rigours of competitive tennis.
“I’m very fortunate to be back playing tennis again,” Murray stated in a press release after his first-round match. “I feel optimistic about the future.”
The three-time Grand Slam champion also announced to play doubles at Wimbledon next month. Murray will join forces with Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert.
Kim is surprised that Murray decided to return to the courts for the ATP 500 grass-court event, less than five months after surgery.
“Naturally, surgeons are cautious,” he says. “Lots would say: ‘Take it easy, maybe think about six months’ time.’
“One should consider what the worst-case scenario is.
“If he rushes his recovery, the danger is that he sprains a muscle around the joint, which results in tearing a muscle. He has to balance those risks, it’s a very difficult call.”
A full return to professional tennis is possible, though. US-American doubles player Bob Bryan reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open and captured the titles at the Miami Open as well as at Delray Beach this season after having his hip resurfaced in August 2018.
