SPO_230227 MURRAY PULL OUT-1677495641009
Andy Murray reacts during the Qatar Open final in Doha on Sunday. The British ace has pulled out due to injury. Image Credit: AFP

Dubai: Former world No 1 Andy Murray has pulled out of the Dubai Tennis Championships due to hip injury.

“We regret to inform that Andy Murray is unable to participate in this year’s tournament. Andy has been dealing with recurring hip injury that has unfortunately forced him out of Dubai. We wish Andy a speedy recovery and hope to see him back on the court in Dubai soon,” said a statement from the organisers.

The 35-year-old, a three-time Grand Slam champion, is no stranger to hip problems and was on the verge of retirement in 2019 after having surgery the previous year.

Physically demanding

However, he got his career back on track after another operation and stormed into his fourth ATP final since returning to the tour at last week’s Qatar Open where he was beaten by Daniil Medvedev.

Murray said after his defeat by Medvedev that he would have to manage his body better, especially after physically demanding matches.

“At my age and with some of the issues that I’ve got, I do have to be mindful of those things. I cannot just keep going until something happens,” Murray said. “I need to be a bit smarter with that.”