Andy Murray in awful development before Wimbledon as tennis fans left heartbroken

Andy Murray's hopes of a dream farewell at Wimbledon have taken a devastating blow after injury forced the British tennis star to withdraw from his second round match at the Queen's Club Championships. Murray lasted only five games against Australia's Jordan Thompson after admitting that he was struggling to walk up stairs and in the warm-up before the match.

Murray was playing the traditional lead-in event to Wimbledon ahead of what is widely expected to be his final time playing at the All England Club next month. But the 37-year-old's prospects of bowing out at Wimbledon on his own terms look bleak after the latest in a long list of sad injury setbacks for the three-time major champion.

The Scot was in obvious pain from his opening service game against Thompson and was forced to take a medical time-out when trailing at 2-1. Murray competes with a metal hip and has struggled with an ankle injury and back issues this year and received treatment at the side of the court before returning for just two more games before eventually pulling the pin.

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"I never had that loss of coordination, control and strength in my leg before," Murray told reporters, before adding that his pre-existing back complaint had caused the issue in his right leg. "I've been struggling with my back for a while - I had lost the power in my right leg so lost all motor control, I had no coordination and couldn't really move.

"I was happy with the win yesterday but my back has been a problem for quite a while and it's been sore in the build-up to the tournament and was sore in my match yesterday and through to today... During my pre-match warm-up I was pretty uncomfortable and when I walked up the stairs just before the match I didn't have the usual strength in my leg, it wasn't a usual feeling. Murray - who is a five-time winner at Queen's and two-time Wimbledon champion said he'd been dealing with back issues "for about 10 years or so".

Tennis world gutted as Andy Murray hobbles off at Queen's

In all likelihood, it was the last time Murray will play at the famous old London venue where he's won five titles and the fan favourite was given a rousing reception as he left the court. Murray cut a forlorn figure as he waved to a crowd, including his wife and mother, as spectators applauded the British champion and fans took to social media to pray for his speedy recovery in time for Wimbledon.

Jordan Thompson progresses after 'sad' Andy Murray scenes

Thompson last beat Murray at Queen's in 2017 when the Scot was Wimbledon champion and World No.1 but this time it was a very different affair. The Aussie was booed when he hit a drop shot that the ailing Murray was never going to be able to reach but admitted it was a bittersweet feeling to progress to the next round under such sad circumstances for his opponent.

"I could see he had a problem in the warm-up and then his first serve," said Thompson, who faces Taylor Fritz in the last-eight after the American No.1 defeated former Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic 7-6 (7-5) 6-4. "I learned a lot of things watching him play, so it's an honour to share the court with him, but it's just sad that it ended like that."

Thompson will be joined in the last-eight by fellow Sydneysider Rinky Hijikata, who earned a fine win over Italian Matteo Arnaldi. Hijikata's 7-6 (7-0) 7-6 (9-7) win was a delight for the 23-year-old, who'd not won a match since mid-April until his fine run through qualifying at Queen's.

Hijikata only progressed to the last-16 because of an injury to American Frances Tiafoe and the Aussie tightened up with the finish line in sight against Arnaldi after squandering five match points. He eventually saw out the match to set up a showdown with in-form American Sebastian Korda, who won 6-4 3-6 7-5 against 2014 Queen's winner Grigor Dimitrov.

with agencies