World No. 1 and top seed Andy Murray says he's hopes to be fit for start of Wimbledon, when asked if he would recover from his hip niggle in time for his first-round match on Monday
London: Andy Murray came through a practice session at Wimbledon unscathed yesterday and said he still plans to play his first round despite a niggling hip injury.
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Murray has pulled out of two exhibition ties at Hurlingham Club this week and looked in discomfort during an hour-and-a-half practice at the All England Club.
The World No. 1 was hitting and serving smoothly out on Court 9 but in between rallies limped, grimaced and occasionally bent over in apparent pain. Asked if he would play his opening match on Monday, Murray said: "I hope so, that's the plan. I'm practising again later. I just had a light practice this morning to see how I feel and I'll practise again later."
Murray's coach Ivan Lendl confirmed his charge was ready for his Wimbledon defence. Asked if he was concerned about Murray's preparation, Lendl told reporters on Thursday: "Not at all. Unlike before Paris, he is hitting the ball really well. Practice has gone well."
His mother Judy Murray was asked on BBC Radio 2 if her son will be there on Monday. She said: "I would say so." The three-time Grand Slam champion has only played two competitive sets on grass in the lead-up to Wimbledon after his shock first-round exit at Queen's last week.
Lendl, however, indicated Murray's hitting in practice has been better than ahead of the French Open last month, when the Briton was struggling for form but reached the semi-finals.
"I just felt that he hadn't hit enough balls as opposed to here, where he has hit enough balls. My feeling was that he was not picking the right shot because he hadn't played enough and that he didn't have the safety of saying: 'OK, I can hit this shot 15 times in a row if I have to' and that all comes from competition. I thought he was a couple of points away from the Paris final actually."
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