Given his serious injury problems over the past few years, Murray can be forgiven for choosing to focus solely on those goals. But there is a recent precedent that he has ventured into making doubles for the right association, as in 2019 he and 23-time major champion Serena Williams forged a popular partnership. With the exaggeration surrounding 19-year-old Raducanu still in a fever, Murray playing alongside him could bring him down at Wimbledon.
It would certainly help the organizers to recover good publicity for a tournament in crisis. The All England Club’s decision to ban competition from Russian and Belarusian players due to the Ukrainian war sparked a bitter dispute over tennis, with the ATP and WTA taking drastic measures to eliminate points from the classification at Wimbledon.
With the support of their respective player councils, the latter move has proved largely unpopular with players, and four-time main champion Naomi Osaka is one of those people who suggest they can skip Wimbledon. as a result. While Murray dismissed the idea that Wimbledon had been downgraded to an “exhibition,” he accepted that the ATP’s tough stance seems to have been a tactical mistake and said, “I don’t like the move.”
The men’s tour, he said, had missed a rare opportunity to gain long-term influence in Grand Slam events: “My feeling is that it would have been better to make a move or negotiate something that is beneficial for the future of the Grand Slam. “It simply came to our notice then.
Meanwhile, Raducanu will make his first competitive appearance in England since his victory at the US Open in Nottingham next week.
The start of the second round of the French Open means that the 19-year-old will start her turf campaign a week earlier than originally planned.
Raducanu and fellow British Dan Evans have received wildcards for the Rothesay Open Nottingham, which starts next Monday.
Raducanu said: “I am excited to be back in Nottingham and it will be a great opportunity to play in front of the British public for the first time this year.
“This event will always be special to me as I played my first WTA Tour tournament here last June and can’t wait to return.”
British No. 2 Evans will join the ATP event with former Top 10 players Jack Sock and Fernando Verdasco, as well as British duo Liam Broady and Jay Clarke.
“The grass court season is always a special time for British players and I can’t wait to get back to Nottingham and play on tracks that are always in such good condition,” Evans said.
“Home fans are always vocal in their support and I look forward to giving them something to cheer on.”