Andy Murray expects extended layoff with ankle injury

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Andy Murray has announced that the ankle injury he sustained late in his third-round Miami Open presented by Itau match with Tomas Machac is serious and likely to keep him off the ATP Tour for many weeks.

“Yesterday towards the end of my match in Miami I suffered a full rupture of my ATFL and near full thickness rupture of my CFL,” Murray posted on Instagram. “I will see an ankle specialist when I return home to determine next steps.

“Goes without saying this is a tough one to take and I’ll be out for an extended period. But I’ll be back with 1 hip and no ankle ligaments when the time is right.”

On Sunday the former No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings rallied from 2-5 down in the final set against Machac and saved a match point at 5-6 before forcing a tie-break against the Czech. Murray led by a late mini break before Machac earned a 5-7, 7-5, 7-6(5) victory in three hours and 28 minutes.

It was a memorable third set. Murray clawed his way back onto serve. In the middle of sealing the 4-5 game to level at 5-5, he rolled his left ankle and writhed in pain on the court, requiring immediate attention from an ATP physiotherapist.

Murray returned to the court to continue the match and at 5-6 saved match point by stepping into the court. He then led 5/3 in the tie-break before Machac won the final four points.

Murray, a two-time Miami champion, will be left to rue his missed opportunity to complete a memorable comeback. After the match, the 36-year-old took a long moment to thank the crowd before signing autographs as he departed.

After recently notching his 500th match win on hard courts in Dubai, the Scot collected consecutive match wins in Miami for the first time since Toronto last year. The 2016 Nitto ATP Finals champion, who will turn 37 in May, is just four matches shy of playing his 1,000th tour-level match. He boasts a 738-258 win-loss record and has won 46 titles, including three majors.