• Tennis

Back surgery set to end Murray's season

Andy Murray is likely to miss the rest of the season after deciding to undergo minor back surgery next week.

Murray has been plagued with a disc problem in his lower back for the last 18 months, which flared up in May and forced him to withdraw from the French Open.

He returned to become to first male Briton to win Wimbledon for 77 years but struggled on the hard courts, surrendering his US Open title after going down in the quarter-finals to Stanislas Wawrinka.

The problem affects a nerve in Murray's lower back which sends shooting pain down his hip and upper leg, and affects him more on clay and hard surfaces than grass courts.

Murray took the decision to have surgery after Great Britain's Davis Cup victory over Croatia at the weekend, which saw them return to the World Group after five years outside it.

The Scot complained of discomfort in his back after last Friday's singles win over Borna Coric on the clay in Umag.

It is believed that Murray sees now as the best possible time to solve the problem. He was scheduled to play in three events in Asia, including the Shanghai Masters, before the Paris Masters and the ATP World Tour Finals.

Facing a potential two-month lay-off, Murray is highly doubtful for the end-of-season event at the O2 Arena from November 4-11. It is believed Murray has an eye on making sure he is ready for the Australian Open, 2014's first grand slam, and will rest before his usual mid-November pre-season training block in Miami.

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