Andy Murray has revealed he will miss an “extended period” after rupturing ankle ligaments during his Miami Open defeat to Tomas Machac, though he has vowed to return to the court.
Murray was hurt during the third set of his dramatic 5-7 7-5 7-6 (7-5) defeat to Machac in the last 32 in Florida on Sunday.
The three-time grand slam winner recovered from 3-0 down in the decider to force a tie break and saved one match point but was ultimately unable to clinch victory.
Fitness issues have taken their toll on Murray in recent years and he has now confirmed he suffered a full rupture of his anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) and near full-thickness rupture of his calcaneofibular ligament (CFL) during the match.
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Writing on Instagram, Murray said: “Yesterday, towards the end of my match in Miami, I suffered a full rupture of my ATFL and near full-thickness rupture of my CFL.
“I will see an ankle specialist when I return home to determine next steps. It goes without saying this is a tough one to take and I’ll be out for an extended period.
“But I’ll be back with one hip and no ankle ligaments when the time is right.”
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Murray has repeatedly discussed the prospect of retirement this year, saying he may only have “a few months” left in his glittering career.
The Scot – who will turn 37 in May – has suggested he would like to represent Great Britain in the Paris Olympic Games later this year, but has also said he is not planning to prolong his career after the summer.
