Andy Murray will return to the Australian Open next month, three years after playing what he feared would be the last game of his career.

The 34-year-old has accepted a wild card for the tournament as he seeks to extend a record that has seen him finish second in Melbourne on five occasions.

Murray lost to Roberto Bautista Agut in the first round in 2019, shortly after revealing he was going to have hip surgery.

After the game, before which he was shown an on-court montage of top players paying homage to his career, Murray said: “It’s an amazing place to play tennis. If it was my last game, it was an amazing way to end.

Murray withdrew from the tournament in 2020 and earlier this year he also had to withdraw at the last minute after testing positive for the coronavirus.

However, Murray continued to fight for the top 100, including pushing Stefanos Tsitsipas to five sets in a US Open first round loss in September.

Australian Open Tournament Director Craig Tiley said: “As a five-time finalist Andy Murray has had so many memorable moments at the Australian Open.
“He is renowned for his fighting spirit, passion and love for the game and I am delighted to welcome him to Melbourne in January. His heroic exploits have made him a fan favorite here in Melbourne Park.