Boris Becker regards the injury that has prompted Andy Murray’s withdrawal from the French Open as a “blessing in disguise” for the world No 2 ahead of Wimbledon.

British number one Andy Murray has withdrawn from next week’s French Open after failing to recover from a back injury picked up at the Rome Masters.

TENNIS: Jacob Fearnley, an 11-year-old tennis star from Merchiston Castle School, is making an early mark by becoming the first Scottish player to be invited to a prestigious tennis tournament in Paris.

After all these years, Rafael Nadal still knows how to dominate Roger Federer.

IF you’ve ever wondered just how liberating retirement can be, all you need to do is spend a while chatting to Tim Henman. Throughout his long career, the Englishman looked like he was auditioning for the diplomatic corps.

ANDY Murray hit out at Sky Sports commentator and former British player Barry Cowan on Twitter yesterday.

TOURNAMENT Director Viki Mendelssohn yesterday spoke of the logistical challenge faced in creating an Edinburgh venue suitable for hosting next month’s Brodies Champions of Tennis event, which will feature John McEnroe, Goran Ivanisevic and Tim Henman.

Czech Tomas Berdych snapped a run of 11 consecutive defeats by world No 1 Novak Djokovic to reach the semi-finals of the Rome Masters before Rafa Nadal was stretched to the limit against David Ferrer.

Greg RUSEDSKI expects Andy Murray to play in the French Open.

GREG Rusedski expects Andy Murray to play in the French Open.

ANDY Murray does not expect to be fit for the French Open after retiring from his second-round match in Rome yesterday afternoon with a recurrence of a back problem.

LAURA Robson suffered a straight-sets defeat to world No 1 seed Serena Williams, who avenged the defeat of her sister by the Briton in the Internazionali d’Italia in Rome.

Laura Robson brushed aside an injury-hit Venus Williams 6-3, 6-2 to set up a second-round meeting with the American’s sister Serena at the Internazionali d’Italia in Rome.

RAFAEL Nadal continued his superb form since returning to tennis earlier this year by defeating Stanislas Wawrinka in the Mutua Madrid Open final to lift his fifth title of 2013.

Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova will play for both the No. 1 ranking and the Madrid Open title today after both won their semi-finals in straight sets.

ANDY Murray complained he has been failing to take his chances but said his clay season was “going in the right direction” following the failure of his latest bid for a maiden title on his least-favoured surface.

Tomas Berdych ended Andy Murray’s hopes at the Mutua Madrid Open with a 7-6 (7/3) 6-4 win in last night’s quarter-final.

GORDON Reid has become the first British player to qualify for the men’s wheelchair singles at the French Open.

ANDY Murray outlasted world No 16 Gilles Simon of France in a late-night marathon to reach the quarter-finals of the Madrid Open hours after Roger Federer’s shock defeat to Japan’s

RAFA Nadal avoided a similar fate to beaten world No1 Novak Djokovic when he dismissed French young gun Benoit Paire 6-3, 6-4 to claim a place in the third round of the Madrid Open yesterday.