Andy Murray in race against time to be fit for US open after new injury setback
Andy Murray faces a race to be fit for the US Open later this month after suffering another injury setback.
Murray, 36, has pulled out of this week’s Cincinnati Open after failing to recover from an abdominal strain.
The problem forced the Briton to withdraw from the Canadian Open last week ahead of a last 16 tie with Jannie Sinner.
Murray said in Toronto that his injury was similar to one which disrupted his grass court season last year.
“It took me about 10 to 12 days before I was feeling good again,” he said.
“This is not as bad as that, but obviously the danger of you play on it is you make it worse.”
The US Open is due to begin in New York in 13 days’ time, on 28 August.
Murray’s latest setback comes after an encouraging summer in which he looked at his most competitive in several years.
The former world No1 won three tournaments at second-tier Challenger level in May and June, including back to back events on grass in England before Wimbledon.
He lost in the second round of the London Grand Slam after a five-set duel with Stefanos Tsitsipas.
But his progress after years ravaged by injury helped lift him to a world ranking of 36 this week, his best position since April 2018.
Murray hinted in Canada that he could be preparing to retire from tennis in the near future, telling the crowd: “This might be my last time playing here.