Former world No. 1 Andy Murray will not feature in the doubles at the US Open this month in order to focus on his singles career. The Scot had planned to play in the men’s doubles at Flushing Meadows, having been playing doubles with mixed success after undergoing hip surgery earlier this year after a first-round exit at the Australian Open in January.
The Scotsman had planned to play in the men’s doubles at the US Open, having been playing doubles with mixed success after undergoing hip surgery earlier this year after a first-round exit at the Australian Open in January.
Murray lost in straight sets to Richard Gasquet 6-4, 6-4 in his singles return at the Cincinnati Open on Monday, where he is a two-time champion, but says that he will step away from playing in doubles events, including at the US Open.
“I’m not going to play doubles at the US Open,” Murray told BBC Sport. “My goal is to get back playing at the level that I want to on the singles court, and I’ve decided that I need to focus all my energies on that right now.
“The US Open, doubles and mixed, can be another couple of weeks that you are slowing things down.”
Murray will play in the singles of the the ATP event in Winston-Salem, North Carolina next week, his first appearance at the event.
“It doesn’t feel like I need to play the main draw of every single tour event. I’ve hardly played the last couple of years and, having discussed with my team, after this week I think doubles is done for me for the time being,” Murray said.
“I need to focus my mind on getting matches on the singles court. There aren’t many tournaments between now and the end of the year.
“The feeling I have had since my singles [against Gasquet in Cincinnati] was that I played decent, but that physically between now and the end of the year I want to get matches in so that for the beginning of next year, I’m feeling ready.
“So if I do well in Winston-Salem, I’ll know my level is good enough and I’m ready to win matches at tour level, but if not it makes sense to drop down a level and maybe play some smaller tournaments.”
Murray will play his brother Jamie in the Cincinnati Open men’s doubles quarterfinal on Friday.
Murray won the Queen’s Club men’s doubles with partner Feliciano Lopez, but the Scot struggled in a round-of-16 exit in the mixed doubles at Wimbledon when partnered with Serena Williams, and lost in the quarterfinals of the Washington Open when partnered with his brother Jamie.
The US Open gets underway on the Aug. 26 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, New York.