Kyle Edmund hoping for positive Andy Murray news at Queens

Kyle Edmund is hoping to see Andy Murray back in action at Queens this week, with the two-time Wimbledon champion set to make a decision over his participation on Saturday morning.

The Yorkshireman has risen to British No. 1 in the absence of the Scot, who has not played a competitive match since hobbling out of his Wimbledon quarter-final against Sam Querrey in 2017, and will be the top-ranked home favourite heading into this years grass-court Grand Slam.

Murray has endured a tough time away from the sport due to a hip problem and went under the knife earlier this season, having failed to return to action at the Australian Open.

However, he is on the verge of a comeback ahead of Wimbledon and played two encouraging practice sets against compatriot Cam Norrie on Friday afternoon.

And with a decision over whether he can compete arriving shortly, Edmund revealed he would love to see him back on court.

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Yeah, as tennis fans watching wherever – round the world or at home – and in Britain for sure would love to see him back, he said.

Its been really unfortunate that its now been a year and a year is am long time to be out and not have any matches. If its three months or four months, its different but I think a year is a while and for sure I think everyone is keen to see him back.

Only he knows where he is in terms of his body and so on… I just spoke to him in terms of Ive hit with him and I speak to him then but I never ask how his hips been – I never ask that question because hell probably not want to answer it and he probably gets asked it a lot.

Though the pair just worked through a series as Edmund continued adapting to the grass after a fine clay-court swing, the world No. 18 was seriously impressed with the three-time Grand Slam winners level.

When asked if he was still hitting the ball well, he replied: Thats the thing. That was very impressive to see was hes, you know, a proper tennis player and you can tell because even with time away from a match court he still hits a very good ball, very clean and just a pure striker of the ball.

Thats never disappeared. I guess the thing is obviously the movement. But in terms of a ball striker it was no different. He hits a very good ball and it was great to drill with him.

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If Murray opts not to compete at Queens, he faces the prospect of jumping straight into best-of-five sets tennis without fine tuning his game.

And Edmund admitted it would make life tougher for the former world No. 1.

I dont know cos Ive never really done it but… Im sure it is tough in the sense that its always good to play tennis before a Grand Slam: you get match fit physically and also in your head, its good to play matches because you anticipate plays a lot better.

I always find when you dont play for a while, you start thinking a little bit more but when you play regularly and matches, its like autopilot – it just happens.

I dont know, it depends… its a tough question because its obviously related to Andy but hes not played for a year. But if he played two weeks before – like some of the top players do: they have like a week or two weeks out and they are able to play OK.

So, its just one of them: it depends on the person. If youve taken a period out from tennis but also youre coming back from injury, its going to be tough. But only Andy knows what its going to be like.

More: Tennis

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