LONDON: Former world number one Andy Murray has been given a tough draw as he bids to get match-fit for Wimbledon with a first round clash against France’s enfant terrible Benoit Paire at key warm-up tournament Queen’s.
Murray has won Queen’s a record five times and the 34-year-old Scot will be playing his first singles tournament since March.
It gets underway on Monday.
The two-time Wimbledon champion suffered a groin injury ahead of the Miami Open in March and pulled out of the French Open after experiencing further discomfort.
Paire will be a tough first round opponent for Murray, who was given a wild card entry, though how much of a challenge may depend on what mood the Frenchman is in.
Paire has upset the authorities to such an extent with his outspoken behaviour that in April the French Tennis Federation took the extraordinary step of barring him from the Tokyo Olympics.
Should Murray beat him he is likely to play top seed Italy’s Matteo Berrettini in the second round.
Murray enjoyed a rousing return to Queen’s two years ago after hip surgery winning the doubles with Spanish veteran Feliciano Lopez. However, injuries have dogged him since then.
The logo of the Football Association of Malaysia is pictured at their headquarters in Kuala Lumpur February 5, 2014....
A photo from National Football Challenge Cup.—FootballPakistan/FileLAHORE: WAPDA and SA Gardens notched identical...
Fast bowler Mohammad Amir seen in this undated photo. —x/yingu121ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board is making...
General view of colored smoke as French rapper Julien Mari is seen after the Olympic Flame was lit at the Old Port...
A gendarme of the French National Gendarmerie Intervention Group takes part in a drill, as part of the preparation...
A representational image of the setup of PSL 2022. — PCB/FileLAHORE: The clash of the PSL 10 with the IPL would pose...