Murray out of Asian swing and doubt for WTFs due to minor back surgery

He is apparently hoping to be back for 2014. This will be a real shame as many want to see the Nadal match up and this will put his already slim chances for Number 1 to bed.

Hopefully the surgery will go well and we can see him take on 2014 by storm

That's disappointing but hopefully means that they have identified the problem and are able to sort it. He has obviously struggled with it this season. I hope the surgery goes well and he returns fully healthy next year.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/24163790

It's "extremely unlikely" he'll drop below Number 4 for the AO.

A pity, but I'm starting to think the top players all need a prolonged period of rest anyway, otherwise their level goes down. Surgery notwithstanding, it's probably for the best.

Hes apparently been playing with it for 2 years, a lower disk problem with nerves. Hes still able to play to a high level but its bothering him, he wants to get it fixed it seems.

Although, presumably due to the back, he has played no more than the bare minimum this year. Still a nice rest to refresh after such a big year can't hurt.

The ATP are presumably already quaking as Andy will be hit with the same double zero pointer as Rafa. HE's fury will be a sight to behold!

good for Federer I suppose if Murray doesn't make London, one extra space available

Yeah it pretty much guarantees Federers attendance, hed need Tsonga, Wawrinka and Gasquet to overtake him now, id think one would slip up

Good for Federer, better for Stan.

If he had to do it, i guess this is a decent time as any

Boy, this is a huge move, hopefully it works for him but back problems are notoriously difficult to get over and there is a risk of no improvement down the road. Commendable he played DC knowing the rest of his season was likely over. I still feel he also needs to play less physically in future, i.e. shorten ralleys, to alleviate the grind on his back.

Well this explains a lot of Andy's up and down form, as a bad back can have flare ups and times when it feels alright and does not trouble you. It is a real shame, I hope it is not something that stays with him his whole career. But a bad back is something that almost never completely heals once it has gone bad.

Goddam it... The year I buy WTF tickets...

For the best I suppose. As socal says he's been up and down for a while. He probably got through Wimbledon courtesy of the break from the French, but it seems that whenever his schedule is relatively heavy it returns.

Hopefully it's minor like they're all reporting. Though back surgery is never good news. The break itself is probably not a bad thing. He's had a great 15 months or so and gives him a chance to reflect on it and come back mentally refreshed, and hopefully with that fire back which appeared missing a bit in New York.

It is for the best in my opinion. He kills two birds (hopefully) with one stone. Corrects the problem with his back (though I have my doubts it will) and recharge his batteries for the start of the new season.

Maybe he is following Rafa's footsteps, who knows a complete Fresh Murray might take 2014 by storm, I hope thats the case.  

falzy21 wrote:Yeah it pretty much guarantees Federers attendance,  hed need Tsonga, Wawrinka and Gasquet to overtake him now, id think one would slip up

Well there was my words of wisdom to someone who said they were worried Federer wouldn't make it. I said people like those above didn't tend to make Slam semis and pick up the really big points. 

I do think it's the best thing, he never really looked right in North America.

I wonder how long this back injury has been with him? Remember the first real signs of it came at the French Open last year and it resurfaced again on clay this year and again on the same surface in the recent Davis Cup tie. Clearly, it is a clay-related injury and if it has been there for a few years it would go some way to explain why he has struggled so much on the surface. After all clay is a surface you'd imagine should suit Andy's game but results-wise it is his weakest surface. Now if that back injury has been there under the surface bothering him during the clay season it must become a mental issue about being fully committing yourself during matches. Just a thought.

I hope he comes back in 2014 as Rafa did in 2013, a does a nice sweep.