Andy Murray fit for Wimbledon and declares he will 'be fine to play seven matches'

Andy Murray insisted he is fit enough to start the defence of his Wimbledon title on Monday despite his recent struggles with a hip injury.

Murray sparked concerns he might have to withdraw from Wimbledon after cancelling two scheduled exhibition matches this week due to his sore hip.

The world No 1 was seen limping while practising at Wimbledon over the weekend, but he is convinced he can make it through two weeks of the grass-court grand slam tournament.

"I'll be fine to play the event and play seven matches," Murray said on Sunday.

The two-time Wimbledon champion will play the first match on Centre Court on Monday against Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik.

That will be a huge lift for Murray, who admitted he had been worried the hip pain would not ease off in time for Wimbledon.

"You never know. I haven't been in that sort of position too often, only a few days before a Slam and not felt good at all," he said.

"Obviously this is an extremely important tournament, so you worry a little bit. It's a little bit stressful if you can't practise for a few days.

"You really want to be preparing, training as much as you can to get ready and make you feel better, especially when you hadn't had any matches.

"I just tried to think positively. I tried to make the best decisions along with my team to give myself the best chance to feel good on Monday. I feel like I've done that."

Facing world No 134 Bublik should be a gentle introduction to the tournament for Murray, who is desperately short of match practice on grass after a shock Queen's Club first-round loss against unheralded Australian Jordan Thompson.

Crucially, the Scot said his injury has started to feel better after lengthy treatment and prolonged periods of rest over the last week.

"I've had hip problems since I was very young. It's not something new to me," he said.

"It's just been very sore the last few weeks and was giving me quite a lot of trouble, moving to certain shots and getting to certain positions.

"That was why I had to take the break to try to give it a chance to settle down, calm down a bit.

"I spent a lot of time with my physio, doing some extra exercises in my warm-up, strengthening exercises, a lot of stuff to try to loosen off that area.

"It's felt a lot better in the last few days. Practice each day has got a little bit better."

Murray also went into the French Open with concerns over his form and fitness, but gradually played his way back to his best en route to the semi-finals.

The three-time grand slam champion is hoping for a similar scenario at Wimbledon.

"It's been slightly stop-start preparations. But each day I've felt better, a little bit like at the French Open," he said.

"I didn't come in as well-prepared, but I still found a way with each match to feel a bit better, and built confidence each day. I'm hoping that's the case here."

* Agence France-Presse

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.

8. Pillar 2 implementation

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

Tips from the expert

Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.

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Engine: 2.0L, turbocharged in-line four-cylinder / 3.0L, turbocharged V6
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic / Eight-speed automatic
Power: 252hp @ 5,000rpm / 354hp @ 5,400rpm
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Fuel economy: combined 7.2L / 100km / 8.3L / 100km

MATCH INFO

Manchester United 1 (Fernandes pen 2') Tottenham Hotspur 6 (Ndombele 4', Son 7' & 37' Kane (30' & pen 79, Aurier 51')

Man of the match Son Heung-min (Tottenham)

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MATCH DETAILS

Barcelona 0

Slavia Prague 0

Match info

Bournemouth 0
Liverpool 4 (Salah 25', 48', 76', Cook 68' OG)

Man of the match: Andrew Robertson (Liverpool)

Company%20Profile

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