Andy Murray undergoes hip surgery after months of pain

London, Jan 29 (IANS) Tennis star Andy Murray has undergone hip surgery and was hopeful it would bring an end to his pain.

The Scotsman said in a post on social media on Tuesday that he underwent hip resurfacing surgery, reports Efe news.

"Feeling a bit battered and bruised just now but hopefully that will be the end of my hip pain," Murray said in a comment under two photographs, one showing him lying on a hospital bed and another a hip x-ray. "I now have a metal hip as you can see in the 2nd photo."

He had said at the Australian Open in Melbourne earlier in the month that he intended to retire this year because his hip pain was preventing him from being able to perform to his full potential.

"I've been struggling for a long time, I've been in a lot of pain for what's been probably about 20 months now," the Scotsman told reporters as he floated his exit from professional tennis.

Murray said he had done everything he could to get in shape, adding: "I'm not sure I'm able to play through the pain for another four or five months."

He had said he wanted to get through to Wimbledon in the summer and it was there where he would want to retire, but he was unsure he would be able to get that far.

The former World No 1 has won the British tournament twice, in 2013 and 2016.

Murray underwent another surgery in January 2018 in Australia and has been suffering from hip pain for months.

Following that procedure, he was off the court until the following June, making a comeback at Queen's in London.

Having gone under the knife again, 31-year-old Murray was now looking towards months of recovery time.

His operation came after Bob Bryan of the United States, one of the best doubles players in history, recommended he try a metal hip implant as he had done in August last year.

Murray is the UK's most successful tennis player ever, having claimed three Grand Slams, two Olympic golds and one silver, over 40 career titles and a No 1 ATP ranking.