Andy Murray withdraws from Australian Open

The first Grand Slam tennis tournament of the year, the Australian Open, has had its first casualty, 11 days before the start of the tournament.

Former world No.: 1 and three-time Grand Slam champion, Andy Murray, was forced to withdraw from the tournament.

He is still suffering from the hip injury that has kept him out of the game since his quarterfinal defeat to American Sam Querrey in the quarterfinal at Wimbledon last July.

Murray, who has since slipped to 16th on the world rankings, attempted a comeback at the US Open in August, but withdrew two days before the start of the tournament.

The five-time Australian Open runner-up made a brief return to the court in a one-set exhibition match in Abu Dhabi last week, but lost to Roberto Bautista Agut.