Andy Murray drops US Open hint after teaming up with brother Jamie for doubles
ANDY MURRAY has hinted he could play the US Open after hooking up with brother Jamie for doubles action.
The Scot, 32, will continue his comeback from hip resurfacing surgery by playing alongside his older sibling at the Citi Open in Washington DC next week.
Andy had initially ruled out the prospect of making a singles return during the American hard-court season because he did not feel he would have enough time to get ready physically.
And he also refused to confirm whether he would remain on the doubles path that served him so well at Wimbledon this month.
Yet after his partnership with Jamie was revealed, the younger brother opened the door to some involvement — either in singles or doubles — at the US Open.
The event, which takes place at Flushing Meadows in New York, begins on August 26.
Andy said: “I’m hoping to have a good summer over in the States, keep progressing physically and get back on the singles court soon.
“I’m obviously very excited to be on the court with my brother and also to go back to Washington.
“It’s a city I have always enjoyed visiting, so it should be fun.”
I’m obviously very excited to be on the court with my brother and also to go back to Washington.
Andy Murray
The former world No 1 underwent career-saving surgery in January and then surprised everybody with his swift return to top-level tennis in June.
Andy won the doubles title at Queen’s and then played men’s and mixed doubles at Wimbledon — the latter with Serena Williams.
The last time the two brothers played together was the Davis Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina in Glasgow in 2016. They have had a prolific partnership, notably helping Great Britain win the 2015 Davis Cup.
Doubles specialist Jamie, 33, is the defending champion at Washington, having won the tournament last year with former partner Bruno Soares.
Tournament director Mark Ein said: “They called us and said Andy really wanted to come back to DC and wanted to play doubles with his brother.
"We’re putting a real focus on doubles at the event — it’s a terrific piece of the competition and entertainment value for fans — so we are thrilled he wanted to return.”
It is a surprise Andy is playing this event at all, as last year he said it was unlikely he would return there after being “rinsed” by tournament chiefs.
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Now ranked world No 221, he played singles in Washington last year and was reduced to tears after winning a last-16 match against Romanian Marius Copil — at 3am in the morning!
In clear distress and pain, he withdrew from his quarter-final against Australian Alex de Minaur, which was scheduled to take place later that day, saying it was “unreasonable” and citing fatigue.
Unimpressed Keely O’Brien, last year’s tournament director, said “as a global role model” he should show “it’s not OK to just give up" if conditions are not in his favour.