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Andy Murray pulls out of exhibition match with injury scare just six days before Wimbledon

Injury scare: Andy Murray: Getty Images for LTA
Injury scare: Andy Murray: Getty Images for LTA

Andy Murray today suffered a pre-Wimbledon injury scare forcing him out of his planned warm-up match at the Hurlingham Club.

The world No1 has been scheduled to take on Lucas Pouille at the Aspall Tennis Classic in London at 5pm today.

But following some soreness in his hip, the Scot’s team has taken the decision to pull him from the match altogether.

Murray is due to play another match at Hurlingham on Friday against a currently unnamed opponent and will reportedly be fit for that contest which comes just 72 hours before the defence of his Wimbledon title.

The 30-year-old’s build-up to Wimbledon has been far from ideal. He was the overwhelming favourite to win Queen’s following his run to the French Open semi-finals only to lose to Jordan Thompson, who was only drafted in three hours before the match following the late injury withdrawal of Aljaz Bedene.

As a result of that early Queen’s defeat, he announced a change in schedule for pre-SW19 with two matches at the Hurlingham, which will just be one, leaving him ring rusty on grass as he bids for a third Wimbledon title.

Murray will be seeded No1 when the seedings are announced on Wednesday but has since been surpassed by Roger Federer as the pre-tournament favourite after the Swiss player won a ninth Halle title at the weekend.

Since usurping Novak Djokovic as world No1 at the end of last season with a stunning series of tournament wins, culminating in the ATP World Tour Finals, Murray has struggled with both illness and injury.

He contracted shingles following his premature exit from the first Grand Slam of the year, the Australian Open, and has since had other illness and injury setbacks.

But following Roland Garros – prior to which he teamed up with coach Ivan Lendl for the first time since January – expectation was high of another home win at Wimbledon.

The Murray camp, though, have downplayed the severity of the latest setback, insisting it is no more than “slight soreness in the hip” and his withdrawal today from a non-ranking match is only precautionary.