Leader comment: Andy Murray will prove his mettle

Since being knocked out of Wimbledon, injury means that Andy Murray will have been out of action for six months if he meets his target of competing at the Australian Open.

A hip injury, which has bothered him intermittently through his career, flared up during the French Open and then hampered him severely during Wimbledon.

This is tough news for a player who until a couple of weeks ago was still the number one player in the world. And it means he will effectively have been out of action for six months in the run-up to the 2018 Australian Open.

If you believe social media you might feel very despondent. Murray, who has now turned 30, is “finished” according to one comment. Another said he was “over the hill”.

But us Scots know better.

Andy is at his very best when he faces a challenge. Give him a mountain to climb and he will do it. Give him a 5-0 lead and his focus will probably wander.

Roger Federer is winning Grand Slams at the age of 35. Rafael Nadal is number one at the age of 31.

The naysayers are wrong. Andy will be back and he might just be better than ever.