The Once-Retired Andy Murray Is Back In Singles At Cincinnati

Remember at the start of the year when Andy Murray announced that his singles days were done at the very latest after Wimbledon?

Well, as usual in sports, no on really retires. After some positive doubles results on his surgically repaired hip, Murray took a wildcard into the Cincinnati event where he draws the very-beatable Richard Gasquet to play the very-beatable Dominic Thiem.

“That feeling when you accept a wildcard for the singles in Cinci… #LetsDoThis #HereWeGo,” Murray wrote on Facebook.

Murray’s return doesn’t necessarily mean he’s back full-time on the singles circuit. Obviously he feels that after some doubles success, it’s worth a shot in singles. And if the hip can hold up in Cincinnati and he can play well, then maybe he’ll give it a go at the US Open where it’s best-of-5.

Luckily, in a very deep field he drew Gasquet who he leads 8-3. The Frenchman hasn’t got a win over Murray since 2012 and also underwent surgery in January but for a groin.

The question will be, how will Murray compete — he won’t want to just be a Top 50 type of player — and most importantly, can his hip handle the hardcourts. There are no more hip-friendlier(?) grass and clay stops on the court, it’s just hardcourt pounding week-in, week-out.

So Monday night in Cincinnati is going to be a big day in the future of Murray.