Andy Murray Can't Afford to Have Back Injury Become Long-Term Issue

Andy Murray is in jeopardy of missing more than just the French Open if his back issues continue to haunt him.

Murray withdrew from the French Open on Tuesday after experience pain and having tests done on his lower back, according to Christopher Clarey of the New York Times.

“It’s a really tough decision and I love playing in Paris, but after seeking medical advice, I am not fit to compete,” Murray said in a statement via Clarey.

Murray has been experiencing pain in his lower back since 2011, which is linked to a disc problem, according to Clarey. He had a series of injections last year and even played through the pain at times. But the pain was too much for him to play at Roland Garros this year.

Dr. Colin Crosby, a sports consultant in London, told Paul Newman of The Independent:

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In many cases rest can be the solution, but high-level tennis players just don’t have the time for that, ... You can treat the pain with analgesics and anti-inflammatories or with physiotherapy, but if the problem keeps returning when you play, the danger is that it can become permanent.

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It appears that Murray is in the most pain when he plays on clay, which could be one of the reasons why he decided to withdraw instead of testing it out. Tennis coach Darren Cahill, who sometimes advises Murray, said:

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Clay is also the one surface where Andy needs to generate more of his own power when in a defensive position, so that many play a part.

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Trying to play through the pain at the French Open probably would just cause even more distress from the No. 2 player in the world. Dr. Crosby said that if playing on clay is the problem, it’s good that he withdrew.

But Murray is in a tough spot regarding when he should take the court next. Cahill told Clarey that, “given he’s got an extra couple of weeks now, he should be fine for Wimbledon.”

Murray fell to Roger Federer last year in the Wimbledon final despite winning the first set. Coming back to win this year after missing the French Open would certainly say a lot about his skill and ability to play through an injury.

Murray has already cemented himself as one of the top men’s tennis players in the world but does only have one Grand Slam tournament victory on his resume—winning the U.S. Open last year. He’s come close several times, though, most recently losing the final of the Australian Open to the top player in the world, Novak Djokovic.

Even if Murray is healthy enough to compete once Wimbledon rolls around, he has to be careful about what he’s putting his back through. As Dr. Crosby said, the pain can become permanent if he pushes it too much without it properly healing.

Roger Federer has had his fair share of injuries over the course of his career and told The Telegraph, “The only problem is if you play too long with something that hurts it’s just not so much fun anymore.”

Murray is already out of the French Open. If the pain in his back persists, he could easily withdraw from Wimbledon as well. His back isn’t going to be healed in a day or in a week. It might not even be healed after a month without taking the court.

It’s up to Murray as to how he wants to approach the situation and how many tournaments he thinks he needs to sit out of, but this type of injury could severely alter his career.

Federer said it might not be fun anymore, but the pain could become so unbearable that he’s unable to even play. One thing that’s for sure is that Murray has to get a handle on this before it sidelines him for an extended period of time—and potentially the rest of his career.