Andy Murray accepts Gijon wildcard in hopes of rankings boost

Andy Murray will return to action at the inaugural Gijon Open after accepting a wildcard into ATP 250 event. 

The former world number one last took to the court at the Laver Cup in late September, three weeks after being bounced from the US Open by Matteo Berrettini.

Gijon is one of a number of new events in the ATP calendar brought in to replace the Covid-cancelled Chinese swing. Murray will join top seed Andrey Rublev, Montreal Masters champion Pablo Carreno Busta and 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem on the indoor hard courts there.

After beginning the year ranked 134th in the world, Murray has climbed to 46th. With a month or so left of the tour, the 35-year-old will no doubt be pursuing a top-32 ranking before the 2023 and hence a seeded spot at the Australian Open.

The Brit had that goal for the US Open back in August, but missed out as he entered New York ranked 51st.

“I really want to try and improve my ranking to a level where I’m getting seeded in Slams,” he said in June. “If not [by] the US Open, then going into the Australian Open next year.”

Murray was last seeded at a Slam more than five years ago at Wimbledon 2017. He was still world number one at that point, reaching the quarter-finals before his career was derailed by persistent hip injuries.

He has since played nine Major main draws, his best results coming last year at Wimbledon and last month at the US Open, reaching the third round on both occasions.

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