Andy Murray’s ankle ligaments were ruptured during his loss in the third round of the Miami Open, resulting in him being sidelined for a longer period of time. This injury may hinder his preparations for his potential last Wimbledon appearance before retiring at the end of the summer.
On Sunday, Murray experienced a memorable defeat of 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (5) against Tomas Machac, lasting 3 hours and 28 minutes. Murray was behind 2-5 in the last set when he injured his ankle while serving for 5-5.
Despite appearing to be in severe discomfort and surprise, Murray made the decision to continue playing without even wrapping his injured ankle. Despite struggling with his mobility, he almost managed to emerge victorious in the match, but ultimately lost in a closely contested final set tie-break. Murray was able to leave the court without any assistance.
Murray released a statement on Monday evening, revealing he suffered injuries to his anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) and calcaneofibular ligament (CFL), both located in the ankle.
“During my Miami match yesterday, I experienced a complete tear of my ATFL and nearly a full tear of my CFL. I plan to consult with an ankle specialist upon returning home to determine the next course of action. Needless to say, this is a difficult setback and I will be out of commission for an extended period. However, I am determined to come back stronger even with only one functioning hip and no ankle ligaments.” – Murray
The healing process for a torn ATFL can last more than six weeks, although the duration varies based on the extent of the damage.
In recent weeks, Murray announced his plan to end his career as a professional tennis player after this summer. However, he is currently working to recover in time for the start of his last season on grass, his preferred surface. This season is set to begin on June 10 and culminates with Wimbledon on July 1.
Source: theguardian.com