Andy Murray 'enjoying the suffering' as he fights for fitness ahead of Wimbledon 2018

Andy Murray is desperate to prove he is capable of causing a stir at Wimbledon and has admitted to relishing the suffering of his comeback from hip surgery.

Murray will face Stan Wawrinka at the Nature Valley International in Eastbourne on Monday, only his second match since returning from nearly a year-long lay-off with a hip injury.

And how he fares against his fellow three-time Grand Slam winner will go a long way to deciding whether he has the form and fitness to line up at Wimbledon in a week’s time.

“It’s hurt not being out on the court and playing in front of big crowds,” said the former world No1. “There’s nowhere I love playing tennis more. I have played my best tennis at Wimbledon because I enjoy the pressure.

“This time out of the game has made me realise that I want to carry on for as long as I possibly can. I hope I have a good week and can be fit to play in front of the fans at Wimbledon.”

Murray missed 342 days of competition in all since losing in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon a year ago to Sam Querrey, making his return from hip surgery against Nick Kyrgios at last week’s Fever-Tree Championships at Queen’s Club, a match he lost in three sets.

Speaking on behalf of sponsor Jaguar for their Show Your Edge series, he said he was relishing the hardships of getting back to his best.

“I enjoy the suffering,” he said. “I like being pushed really hard. It’s what I thrive off. It’s what gives me my edge.

“The brain definitely tells you to stop or that things are getting too hard, and not to keep pushing but I just do. I don’t remember ever wanting to give up. I’ve never really been like that. I love what goes into winning tournaments and competitions.