London | Murray cautions against a quick return

The tennis governing bodies including the Grand Slams, are no doubt, struggling to find a way out of the pandemic once the various restrictions countries are imposing on their respective populations are lifted or eased.

.... over time, things will start to allow for travelling and sport will be able to go back to normal as well. But I don't see that happening very soon. Andy Murray

Currently the tours are suspended until July 13 when the ATP and WTA will review the situation while the US Open and the French Open, postponed to September from May, could join Wimbledon which has been cancelled.

Meanwhile Andy Murray, who is playing the Mutua Madrid Open virtual video game, believes tennis will be the last sport to be given full clearance due to the travel required.

“I’m sure all tennis players want to get back to competing and playing as soon as possible. But right now that is not the most important thing,” the former world number one said on Tuesday.

“First of all, we want to get our normal lives back, just being able to go out, see friends, go to restaurants and have your normal freedoms.

“And then hopefully over time, things will start to allow for travelling and sport will be able to go back to normal as well. But I don’t see that happening very soon.”

Murray believes containing the virus is essential before there is any thought of tennis getting back in full swing.

“The first thing is to try and find a way to stop the virus spreading and once we have done that we will be able to do more normal things that everyone does rather than thinking about competing at sport.

“When you don’t get to see it for a while, maybe people realise how much they love playing it, but just because it’s difficult not to have sport just now doesn’t mean we have to speed things up.

“I’m obviously no expert on this but I assume the danger is when you try to do things too quickly – like avoiding social distancing.

“If we get back to international travel, then maybe there could be a second wave of infections and that would slow everything down again and that’s not what anyone wants. Let’s just get things back to normal first.”

Many within the sport are predicting there will be no more regular ATP and WTA action in 2020 although some domestic exhibitions will go ahead.