Tennis: Murray looks for solace at Queen’s

Andy Murray. AP FILE PHOTO

PARIS – Andy Murray has passed a late fitness test and will lead the field at the pre-Wimbledon Queen’s club grass event starting on Monday.

The world number four, who owns two titles from the last three editions at the classy west London venue, had been declared doubtful after carrying a back injury through the French Open where he lost in the quarter-finals to David Ferrer.

But Murray on Saturday confirmed that he will start his only official warmup for Wimbledon, which begins June 25.

“It’s great to be back on the grass at The Queen’s Club today and I’m looking forward to the event,” said the Scot.

“It’s meant a lot to win the title two out of the last three years and to do well here is always the best possible preparation for me in the lead up to Wimbledon.”

The field was thinned by an injury pullout from Argentine Juan Martin del Potro, suffering with a knee injury which bothered him at Roland Garros. Also missing will be American Mardy Fish, who had a heart scare recently and has not returned to the game.

Murray won his second Queen’s title a year ago against second seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. The leading eight seeds all receive first round byes.

Murray could face either 2007 finalist Nicolas Mahut or Guillermo Garcia Lopez in the second round. Tsonga will play a Briton in the second round after wild cards were given to Oliver Golding and Jamie Baker.

Also playing is four-time champion Andy Roddick, who will try to forget bitter memories on clay after an early Paris defeat.

Former number one and four-time winner Lleyton Hewitt of Australia has been given a wild card six years after winning his last Queen’s title.

Serb Janko Tipsarevic is seeded third ahead of Frenchman Gilles Simon with Spain’s Feliciano Lopez on fifth.

Seeds:

Andy Murray (GBR x1)

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA x2)

Janko Tipsarevic (SRB x3)

Gilles Simon (FRA x4)

Feliciano Lopez (ESP x5)

Marin Cilic (CRO x6)

Andy Roddick (USA x7)

Julien Benneteau (FRA x8)

Kevin Anderson (RSA x9)

David Nalbandian (ARG x10)

Marcos Baghdatis (CYP x11)

Denis Istomin (UZB x12)

Alex Bogomolov (RUS x13)

Gilles Muller (LUX x14)

Go Soeda (JPN x15)

Ivo Karlovic (CRO x16)