Andy Murray set to undergo 'back procedure' as Brit prepares for Wimbledon farewell

Andy Murray will undergo a pain-killing back “procedure” before starting his farewell grasscourt season in Germany. The double Wimbledon champion has pulled out of the Lexus Surbiton Trophy this week - the Challenger event he won last year after skipping the French Open.

The Scot will still play his home Grand Slam for likely the final time - and he is set to partner his brother Jamie in the men’s doubles.

But after losing in the first round of the French Open in the singles and doubles, Murray reported he has been “struggling” with his back on the clay.

It is an old problem and the Scot revealed he took “eight painkilling injections” before playing the 2012 French Open after Virginia Wade branded him a “drama queen”. He needed surgery on his lower back in September 2013.

Since then he had taken injections before each claycourt season - and is now set to do the same before the transition to grass.

“I really didn’t feel good in Paris,” Murray revealed. “My back has been a problem the last few weeks for practice and stuff. It has not been great.

“To be honest, I always used to have a procedure on my back the week before the French Open. In my prime, clay always caused issues with my back. So I would always have a procedure the week before the French Open. I didn’t this year. Yeah, it has not been that comfortable. I was moving okay. Really not feeling that comfortable on the court. I am hoping when I get home I will have a procedure on my back and have a few days’ rest and then it should be fine.”

The three-time Grand Slam winner ruptured ankle ligaments in March and returned to action at a Challenger event in Bordeaux last month before playing in Geneva and Paris.

World No.75 Murray had only entered Surbiton as a backup and allow the LTA to use the wildcards on other players. “I said it was unlikely that I was going to play,” he said.

He will next play the Boss Open in Stuttgart on June 10 before the Cinch Championships at Queen’s Club where he has also entered the doubles with Dan Evans.

“For me, grass is probably the surface that is easiest on my body nowadays,” said the former world No.1. “And probably the surface that I would still fancy my chances on and play my best tennis on. I always look forward to this time of the year.

"Does it feel different this year? I don’t know really. I don’t feel particularly different just now. When I was preparing to play here, it was just business as usual, trying to get my game in the best possible shape to play as well as I can, try to keep improving and prepare myself to win matches and play better. believe I can play better than what I have been. I want to have a good run on the grass this summer.”

The Scot has yet to announce if he will play his final Wimbledon and retire this summer . Before the French Open, he said: “When the time is right, I will stop. I don’t know if I will play past the summer.”