Andy Murray to make grand slam return at Australian Open

Former world No. 1 Andy Murray will make his grand slam singles return following career-saving hip surgery at the Australian Open in January, tournament director Craig Tiley told Australian radio station Triple M.

Murray underwent a second procedure on his hip in January this year after admitting in a tearful news conference at the Australian Open that he had been playing in considerable pain for some time and was considering retirement.

The three-time grand slam champion — once considered part of tennis’ “Big Four” alongside Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic — returned to the professional circuit in June, initially only competing in doubles.

At last week’s China Open, the Scot — ranked world No. 289 — reached his first ATP Tour singles quarterfinal for more than a year, losing to eventual tournament champion Dominic Thiem.

On Tuesday, Murray faces Italy’s Fabio Fognini in the second round of the Shanghai Masters after beating Juan Ignacio Londero to record his first Masters 1000 victory in more than two years.

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Murray, a five-time Australian Open runner-up, will return with a protected ranking of No. 2, according to Tiley.

The 32-year-old made his singles return in Cincinnati in August, losing in the first round to France’s Richard Gasquet.

He skipped the US Open in favor of the Rafa Nadal Open on the second-tier Challenger Tour where he won his first singles match since the surgery.

Murray underwent hip surgery for the first time in January 2018 but struggled on his return to the sport, withdrawing from several tournaments over the course of the year to focus on rehab.