Andy Murray invited to the Australian Open | Sports
Melbourne (AFP) – Five-time Australian Open finalist Andy Murray has received a wild invitation to this year’s tournament.
Murray last played at Melbourne Park in 2019, when he announced his retirement, before opting to have a second hip surgery to prolong his career.
The former top seed also accepted last year’s invitation, but did not participate after he tested positive for coronavirus shortly before boarding his charter flight to Melbourne.
“Andy is known for his fighting spirit, passion and love for the sport and I am delighted to be back in Melbourne in January,” said Championship Director Craig Tilley.
The Australian Open starts on January 17th.
Murray, ranked 134th in the ATP rankings, spoke optimistically about progressing again in the competitions, after defeating Yannick Sener to reach the quarter-finals in Stockholm in November. Stefanos also forced Tsitsipas to play five sets in a first-round loss at the US Open in August.
The three-time Grand Slam champion said he was “excited” to be back in Australia.
“I had great moments in Australia playing in front of excellent fans, and now I can’t wait to get on the pitch at Melbourne Park,” said the 34-year-old.
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