Comeback launched: Andy Murray to play doubles at London Queen's Club

Former world No. 1 Andy Murray formally announced Monday his intent to return to tennis, set to join forces with Feliciano Lopez on the doubles court at The Queen’s Club in London.

“It’s been my most successful tournament overall. I’m not yet ready to return to the singles court, but I’ve been pain-free for a few months,” Murray said in a statement released by the event on Twitter. “I’ve made good progress in training and on the practice court, and this is the next step for me as I try to return to the tour.”

Murray underwent a resurfacing operation on his right hip following a five-set defeat to Roberto Bautista Agut at the Australian Open. The three-time major champion was unsure if the surgery would end his career, but went under the knife knowing a similar procedure had been successful for Bob Bryan in 2018. The doubles standout has since returned to win the Miami Open with his twin brother Mike.

The Brit has shared updates throughout his recovery and posted occasional training videos on his Instagram story. Last month, Nick Kyrgios revealed he practiced with Murray at Wimbledon; this past Saturday, Murray uploaded a video of himself serving on grass, asking fans, “how’s it looking?”

Before opting to have surgery, Murray was determined to stay on the court, so his children would be able to grasp their father's work. In an interview with *The Times London*, Murray said in January, "One of the things that I would like to do is play until my eldest daughter [Sophia] is able to watch me and have a small understanding of what it is I’ve done for my living. That’s something I really wanted to do. That’s one of the things that motivated me to keep playing."

The 32-year-old will partner Lopez for the first time, and if all goes well, an entry into the Wimbledon doubles draw could be the next step in his comeback. The Queen's Club draw will include a field of 16 teams and begins on June 17. Murray’s older brother, Jamie Murray, is expected to team up with Neal Skupski after splitting with long-time partner Bruno Soares in Paris.

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