Murray gets Wimbledon boost with first win on comeback trail

EASTBOURNE, United Kingdom: Andy Murray offered encouragement that he could be ready to compete at Wimbledon as the former world number one beat Stan Wawrinka 6-1, 6-3 at Eastbourne on Monday.

Murray was playing only his second match after 11 months on the sidelines with a hip injury that required surgery in January.

The 31-year-old had lost on his comeback against Nick Kyrgios at Queen´s Club last week and claimed after that defeat that he might not be fit enough for Wimbledon.

With Wimbledon getting under way on July 2, Murray, who has won the tournament twice, is in a race to prove his fitness for the All England Club.

Keen to discover just far along he is on the road to recovery, Murray -- now 156th in the rankings -- took a trip to the seaside, accepting a late wild card entry into the grass-court event at Eastbourne.

Beating a former Grand Slam champion of Wawrinka´s calibre in the first round is a major boost to Murray as he weighs up the risks of competing at Wimbledon with so little match practice under his belt.

After clinching his first victory since last year´s Wimbledon fourth round success against Benoit Paire, Murray will face fellow Briton Kyle Edmund in the Eastbourne second round on Wednesday.