Tennis will be one of the last sports back in action: Murray

MIAMI: Former world number-one player Andy Murray on Wednesday said that tennis will be one of the last sports to return to action after the world has recovered from the coronavirus pandemic.

The tennis season has been suspended since March and the hiatus will continue at least until mid-July, playing havoc with the schedule and depriving lower-level players, who depend solely on tournament winnings, of the chance to earn a living.

“I would imagine tennis would be one of the last sports to get back to normality because you’ve obviously got players and coaches and teams coming from all over the world into one area,” Murray told a US media channel.

Murray recovered from hip surgery last year to win the Antwerp title in October. The Briton targeting a return to the tour at the Miami Open in March after completing his rehabilitation from another hip injury. “I would be surprised if they were back playing sport by September’s time,” he said.

The Wimbledon Championships, set to begin in late June, were cancelled for the first time since Second World War. The French Open has moved from its traditional May start and will now be held from September 20 to October 4.

US Open organisers said last week that playing the hardcourt Grand Slam without fans was a possibility, but highly unlikely. “You have to feel like the whole world working normally again and travelling normally before tennis would go back to especially the major competitions,” Murray said.