Andy Murray: Horror Eastbourne draw disrupts Wimbledon preparations
ANDY MURRAY has drawn three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka in the first round of the Eastbourne tournament.
Andy Murray opens up about 'tough' times away from tennis
Former world No 1 Andy Murray has only recently returned after spending almost a year out with a hip injury.
In his comeback match at the Queen's Club Championships, which he has previously won five times, Murray lost to Nick Kyrgios in the opening round.
The 31-year-old fared well against Kyrgios, but eventually lost a tough three-set match in two hours and 39 minutes.
With Wimbledon starting on 2 July, three-time Grand Slam champion Murray is seeking to test his fitness at Eastbourne but has expressed reservations over his ability to play best-of-five-set matches.
It was good to get back to competition at Queen's this week, and I'm hoping to building on that next week at Devonshire Park
The Scot even said he could miss out on Wimbledon if he did not feel ready.
Following Murray’s 11-month absence from tennis he has dropped in 156th in the rankings.
As for Wawrinka, he has also only played a few matches this year following an operation on his left knee in 2017 and as a result he has dropped in the rankings to 261st.
If Murray successfully dispatches Wawrinka in the wildcard match, he will then have to play second seed Kyle Edmund - who has taken over from Murray as Britain's number one.
Despite losing at Queen’s Murray is confident the men’s event at the Nature Valley International in Sussex, will give him the opportunity to build on his previous performance.
"Pleased to announce I’ll be playing Eastbourne next week,” Murray wrote on Facebook.
"I played Davis Cup there in 2010 and I know the courts and facilities there are excellent.
"It was good to get back to competition at Queen's this week, and I'm hoping to building on that next week at Devonshire Park."