English Woman's Journal - 'Amazing' Murray faces make-or-break day at Wimbledon

The 37-year-old is still recovering from surgery to remove a cyst from his back, a procedure the former world number described as "not insignificant".

The operation has left him without full feeling in his right leg and placing in peril his final appearance at the tournament.

As a result Murray is still uncertain of opening his singles campaign against Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic.

He is due to play the last match of the day on Centre Court, with schedulers giving him as much leeway as possible.

Murray, now ranked 113 in the world, had been due to reveal his decision on Monday evening but after a training session he opted to push it back for another day.

"It was good," he told reporters after his practice session

"I'm going to go and have a chat with my team now, speak to my family this evening and then make a decision.

"It's getting better and the testing and stuff I've done has been good, I just need to decide whether it's enough to compete."

Murray famously ended Britain's 77-year wait for a men's champion at Wimbledon when he triumphed in 2013.

He added a second title in 2016, taking his career majors total to three after breaking his duck at the 2012 US Open.

That win in New York came just weeks after he had lost his first Wimbledon final to Roger Federer.

- 'Great guy' -

Murray has never been defeated in the first round at Wimbledon but the physical stress of 20 years on the tour has taken its toll.

Since his 2016 All England Club triumph, Murray has not progressed past the quarter-finals.

He missed the 2018 tournament with injury and 12 months later sat out the singles after undergoing hip surgery.

That year, he played men's doubles with Pierre-Hugues Herbert and mixed doubles with Serena Williams.

Murray has competed with a metal hip since 2019 while this season he damaged ankle ligaments in Miami when he went down to defeat to Machac.

Murray made his Wimbledon debut in 2005, reaching the third round, where he took a two-set lead before losing in five to 2002 runner-up David Nalbandian.

Fellow three-time Grand Slam title winner Stan Wawrinka hailed Murray as "an amazing champion".

"He pushed everybody. He won everything in the sport that you can win. He's been No. 1. He's been an example for many players," said the 39-year-old Swiss, who has faced the Briton 23 times since their first clash in 2005.

"He's a great guy. We're good friends. We spent so many times together. On the court, in practice court, we practise tons of times together. We always had a good relationship."

Should Murray be unable to take to the court later Tuesday, he is still hopeful of playing doubles up with his brother Jamie.

Murray fans are desperate to see their hero make his Wimbledon farewell.

"He feels like one of our own," said 40-year-old Lorna Kennedy, who had travelled down to London from Dundee in Scotland.

"He's done so well and he's just been so good for the sport."

She added: "I don't actually care if he just walks out and plays two games and says 'I'm done'. I've been able to cheer him one last time on Centre Court and that would be enough."

St.Ch.Russell--EWJ