Andy Murray going to Rome to practice, plans Geneva or Lyon return

Andy Murray is making plans to return to competition following an improvement in his groin injury, saying he will practice in Rome next week and then go to Geneva or Lyon.

Murray told British press there "has been a definite improvement" in the injury since a week ago, and he has lined up practice sessions with Novak Djokovic or Diego Schwartzman in Rome. That follows recent training sessions at the LTA National Training Center in London.

"I want to play against the highest-level players possible," said Murray, who tested positive for coronavirus before the Australian Open and then withdrew with injury at Miami, playing just three events so far this season.

"It has been extremely frustrating. When I had the operation on the hip I knew it was going to be unbelievably challenging, but it just feels that there are a couple of things that have happened this year which have been very unfortunate.

"I’m a bit bored of being in the NTC for six days a week."

The 33-year-old, still ranked below the Top 100, has asked for a French Open wildcard but plans to play qualifying if he does not receive it. He is still deciding on his grass-court schedule, but acknowledged that he will have to reduce the amount of events he plays following his 2019 hip resurfacing surgery.

"I need to find a way of staying on the match court for longer. If that means playing one week on, one week off then that’s something we are chatting about," he said.

Murray, a former No. 1, has won three singles Grand Slam titles.