By Ricky Dimon
“Retirement” did not last long for Andy Murray.
Murray, who announced at the Australian Open that he planned to retire sometime this summer, will take his comeback from doubles to singles at the upcoming Western & Southern Open. The three-time Grand Slam champion announced via Facebook on Friday that he accepted a wild card for the Masters 1000 event that begins this Sunday.
“That feeling when you accept a wildcard for the singles in Cinci…#LetsDoThis #HereWeGo,” he posted.
Murray last played singles when he lost to Roberto Bautista Agut in a grueling five-setter during first-round Aussie Open action. After undergoing hip resurfacing surgery that he feared might be career-ending, the 32-year-old Scot felt good enough to return in doubles two months ago at Queen’s Club. A fairy tale week saw Murray and Feliciano Lopez capture the doubles title, and Lopez also triumphed in singles.
Murray also played doubles at Wimbledon (including mixed with Serena Williams), in Washington, D.C., and at this week’s Rogers Cup in Montreal. He will decide on his singles status for the U.S. Open after competing in Cincinnati.
The former world No. 1’s opener will come against familiar foe Richard Gasquet, who trails the head-to-head series 8-3.
Murray is part of a loaded draw that also features Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, who both skipped the Rogers Cup. Djokovic and Federer are in the same half of the Cincinnati bracket, while Rafael Nadal is on the other side as the No. 2 seed.
Nadal currently finds himself in the Montreal semifinals after beating Fabio Fognini 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 on Friday night.