Murray keen to play French Open despite early clay exits

PARIS (Reuters): Former world number one Andy Murray said he wants another chance to play at the French Open while he is still fit and healthy after making just one appearance on the Paris clay since reaching the semi-finals in 2017.

The 35-year-old, who also reached the Roland Garros final in 2016, suffered his second early exit of the clay season on Thursday with a 6-2 7-6(7) first-round defeat by Italian Andrea Vavassori in Madrid.

Reports have said Murray, who also lost in the first round of the Monte Carlo Masters, could skip the May 28-June 11 French Open to focus on Wimbledon but the Scot told reporters he did not want to miss the chance to play at another Grand Slam.

“I would like to play just purely because I don’t know if I’ll get another opportunity to play again,” he said. “Whilst I feel fit and healthy, I would like to give it a go.

“I also have ambitions of competing for Wimbledon titles and that sort of stuff, and I know that sitting here today that probably doesn’t sound realistic, but I do believe that that’s a possibility.

“It’s impossible to say what the right thing to do is, but obviously it’s a Grand Slam. I would like the opportunity to play.”