Andy Murray fills schedule with Stockholm wildcard and Paris Masters history

Andy Murray of Great Britain plays a backhand against Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during day five of the Erste Bank Open. He will play in Sweden next. (Photo by Thomas Kronsteiner/Getty Images)

After he was defeated by Carlos Alcaraez – the 18-year-old also eliminated fellow Brit Dan Evans in Vienna – Murray confirmed his plans for the next fortnight, which also includes a record-setting appearance next week.

The two-time Wimbledon champion has been handed a wildcard in Sweden, and for next week’s Paris Masters – becoming the lowest ranked player ever to be granted access to the French tournament.

Murray won on his last appearance there in 2016, a tournament victory which took him to world number one.

Now, ranked 156, he is mapping out his schedule though conscious of giving his body time to recover ahead of the Australian Open, prompting questions over his participation in the Davis Cup later this year.

“With the late finish to it, and early departure to Australia, with my schedule between now and the end of the year, I am going to have to rest and take a break and give my body a chance to breathe,” he said this week. However Murray did concede “maybe there is a chance I could be convinced to play.”

Organisers in Sweden confirmed his attendance on Thursday, which will be the first time the 34-year-old has played the competition, and adds to an increasingly busy diary for Murray on top of tournaments in Indian Wells and Vienna as he seeks to restore his world ranking after hip surgery two years ago.

His win in Vienna over Hubert Hurkacz was his first success over a top-ten ranked player this year.

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