British stars Andy Murray and Emma Raducanu will team up in the mixed doubles draw at this year’s Championships in Murray’s final appearance at Wimbledon.
Following Murray’s withdrawal from the gentlemen’s singles on Day 2, the former two-time champion is fit enough to add the mixed event with Raducanu to his schedule as well as playing the men’s doubles with older brother Jamie. The mixed doubles event starts on Friday.
Murray has been recovering after undergoing back surgery to remove a spinal cyst 11 days ago and was forced to withdraw from his first round singles match against Tomas Machac on Tuesday afternoon.
But this morning’s news means the former world No.1 will be able to extend his relationship with The Championships in two events this Fortnight.
"I'm pumped. It came about last minute, it wasn't something that I'd been thinking about long," Murray told the BBC. "To get the opportunity to play with Emma will be brilliant.
"We'd spoken a little bit about it during the Covid year but both of us ended up doing well in the singles so it didn't happen and this was the last chance to make it happen. It should be good.
"When I've had the chance to play [mixed] I've always really enjoyed it. I think the fans always really enjoy it. It's two players they know and want to get behind and it should be a brilliant atmosphere in every match that we play."
Murray has appeared in Wimbledon’s mixed doubles event once before when he teamed up with Serena Williams to reach the third round in 2019.
Raducanu plays her second round ladies’ singles match on Wednesday and after her opening win of the tournament was asked how the 37-year-old has helped her as a tennis player.
“I think the biggest advice is just how he's always taken care of his operations, how he manages his people,” the 2021 US Open champion said.
“I think for me it's just like watching him operate day to day, watching him be absolutely on it with everything. Even in practice now, he's so on it to the minute.
“I think me, when I was a bit younger maybe, showing up 15 minutes before practice to do a few arm curls, swing my hand around and warm up, he's there for an hour and a half doing treatment. He just sets really good examples.”
Murray and Raducanu face a tough opening round contest against Marcelo Arevalo and Shuai Zhang.
Arevalo comes into SW19 having just won the men's doubles title for the second time at Roland-Garros, while Zhang is also a two-time Grand Slam champion. She claimed titles at the Australian Open (2019) and at the US Open (2021).
