Andy Murray, 30, enters one of the last chapters as a pro tennis player having quite a lot on his plate. Unable to keep a high standard of play after reaching the ATP summit, things got even worse as Andy Murray has started to see all his efforts being hampered by an ongoing hip injury. Eventually, the season of 2017 ended with Murray lacking luster as a sole ATP 500 title was barely counted as a consolation prize.

The 2018 Australian Open is almost through its first week and despite the scorching heat wave that has been looming over the Aussie event, things are moving on following a familiar pattern.

Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic are gathering momentum while the younger blood of Zverev, Kyrgios or Dimitrov seeks another breakthrough. On the other hand, Andy Murray misses his first Aussie Grand Slam event since 2005.

Andy Murray sits in a dangerous slot

Ranked 19th in the world at the moment, Andy Murray won't try to repair the damages until his body will be fit. From all what we know, the former world No. 1 will seek a comeback bid during the grass season. 2018 Wimbledon Championships is expected to be the pivotal point of his return. When it comes to this particular event, it seems that Murray has all the leverage he needs; a great history there including two Grand Slam titles and a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics that are not easy to forget either for him or for the local crowd.

For now, Murray will have to ensure another rehabilitation as he underwent a hip surgery days after his decision to skip this year's Australian Open. As the season will be moving on, Murray will keep spiraling down in the ranking. If he won't attempt a comeback until the following Wimbledon he will be stripped off of any ranking points.

A prolific career that might end sooner than expected

Judging by the current pieces of information, Andy Murray sits as a crossroad. When he will start mounting his comeback he will have spent almost a year outside of the professional circuit. That fact alone might weight heavy on his shoulders, not to mention any possible issues be might have at the moment.

Despite the current trend, being a pro tennis player past the 30 years of age milestone is also a factor that must be considered. It's no help having a perfect mindset if the body won't be able to sustain the task. It's almost certain that the Brit won't have too many years left in the ATP circuit, but a major medical issue like the one has been dealing with since July can force a premature end to the business.
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