Andy Murray makes fresh Wimbledon pledge as star returns in Surbiton trophy

Andy Murray has revealed he is still driven to star on Centre Court at Wimbledon as he starts his grasscourt season at the Lexus Surbiton Trophy on Monday.

And the three-time Major champion declared the green grass of home in front of his fans is still his “best chance of a deep run at a major event again”.

The Scot, 36, skipped the French Open to prepare for another – and perhaps final – tilt at his home Grand Slam.

He starts his buildup at the Surrey Challenger event against 2018 Australian Open semi-finalist Hyeon Chung.

The winner’s cheque in Surbiton is only £17,000 (€19,650) but Murray has his eyes on a bigger prize and arenas.

“The chance to play on Centre Court of Wimbledon or Queen’s is a big motivation for me,” he said.

“I still believe that it’s the surface that gives me the best chance to have a deep run at a major event again. It’s a surface that I still feel like I have the best chance of doing something major. It’s a big source of motivation for all of my training and preparation.

“Playing in front of a home crowd and having my family and team around me and everything is a huge help and something that although it can be stressful, and there are expectations there, it also helps me focus more.”

Korean Hyeon Chung shocked world No.4 Alex Zverev and Djokovic in Melbourne to become the first Korean to reach a Grand Slam semi-final.

But his career has been dogged by injuries and he played his first singles match in two-and-a-half years at a Challenger in Seoul in April.

The former world No.19, now 27, has since remodelled his service to protect his back.

“This is the least injury-prone, least uncomfortable serve movement,” Chung said. “At the moment, avoiding injuries is more important than being able to make a powerful serve.”

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