Andy Murray says he plans to retire after this year’s Wimbledon but fears next week’s Australian Open could be the final tournament of his career.
The three-time Grand Slam winner, who has been sidelined with a hip injury, was in tears at a news conference in Melbourne on Friday.
“I’m not sure I’m able to play through the pain for another four or five months,” said the 31-year-old Scot.
“I want to get to Wimbledon and stop but I’m not certain I can do that.”
However, Murray says he still intends to play his Australian Open first-round match against Spanish 22nd seed Roberto Bautista Agut next week.
Murray hasn’t recovered well enough from a niggling hip surgery
The British former world number one had surgery on his right hip last January and has played 14 matches since returning to the sport last June.
“I’m not feeling good, I’ve been struggling for a long time,” he said in the emotion-laden news conference.
“I’ve been in a lot of pain for about 20 months now. I’ve pretty much done everything I could to try and get my hip feeling better and it hasn’t helped loads.
“I’m in a better place than I was six months ago but I’m still in a lot of pain. I can still play to a level, but not a level I have played at.
“The pain is too much really.
“I need to have an end point because I’m playing with no idea of when the pain will stop.
“I’d like to play until Wimbledon – that’s where I’d like to stop playing – but I’m not certain I’m able to do that.”
Murray, who is also a two-time Olympic champion, was knighted in the Queen’s New Year Honours list at the end of 2016.
