10sBalls.com • TennisBalls.com

Andy Murray Will Skip Roland Garros and Clay Season

Former Roland Garros runner-up Andy Murray will not play the French Open or any clay events this season. EPA-EFE/VICKIE FLORES

Andy Murray has cancelled his clay season to ensure his health for grass.

The former world No. 1 announced he will skip Roland Garros and the entire clay-court season in order to prepare for Wimbledon.

“I am not planning on playing through the clay, the past couple of years, the clay has made issues worse, I don’t want to take that risk,” said Murray, who has accepted a wild card into next week’s ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam.

The two-time Olympic gold-medal champion said he’s not ruling out a red-clay return someday, but believes it’s too risky to return to dirt this season.

“It’s not that I wouldn’t potentially play on clay in the future,” Murray said. “Last year I almost missed Wimbledon and was close to not playing the grass season.

“I will still try to compete a bit during that period, I won’t do nothing, that’s my plan just now. I had a busy end of last year and the next couple of months. I won’t take any risks and hopefully get a good build-up to the grass season.”