Andy Murray 'getting closer' to competitive return

5 June 2018, 15:08 | Updated: 5 June 2018, 15:10

Andy Murray is aiming to compete at Wimbledon after admitting his near year-long recovery from a hip problem has taken longer than anticipated.

The 31-year-old former world number one has not played since exiting the Wimbledon quarter-finals last July, but is aiming to return for the imminent grass court season.

"It's been very slow, I've been out getting close to a year now which is a lot longer than I expected at the beginning," Murray said in a video posted by The Guardian.

"I'm getting closer to playing again, I've started training a few days ago, hoping to make my comeback during the grass court season."

Murray has twice won Wimbledon, in 2013 and 2016, and also won the 2012 US Open.

He underwent hip surgery in January after travelling to Australia in a bid to play in the Australian Open which failed to materialise.

On the All England Club tournament, he said: "I'm hoping I'll be there. Roger Federer has got a phenomenal record on grass, has won seven times at Wimbledon, he'll definitely be up there as one of the favourites."

Murray's mother Judy on Monday said her son was back on the practice courts.

She told BBC Sport: "He's doing the rehabilitation. He's been back on the court in the last couple of days.

"His goal was always to try and be ready for the grass-court season and that is still his goal, so fingers crossed.

"He will be guided by his body and how he feels. He is the only person who knows how he feels.

"The most important thing is he gets fit again for the long term and any top athlete would tell you they would not come back until they felt they could give 100 per cent, especially in a major like Wimbledon."

Murray announced his planned return to the ATP Tour would be in the Libema Open in Holland, starting next Monday.

He is still on the entry list on the tournament's official website, but can pull out at any time before the event begins.