Kyrgios pullout sends Murray into Paris Bercy Masters

Andy Murray will return to the main draw of the Paris Bercy Masters in 10 days hoping to avenge a first-round defeat a year ago.

The 2016 titleholder who then skipped the event for the next four editions due to his hip injury dramas, went out a year ago at the opening bell.

But the 35-year-old was boosted into the field as Nick Kyrgios called a halt to his season, also withdrawing from next week’s Swiss Indoors in Basel.

The last on-court appearance of the Wimbledon finalist came on October 6, the day before he withdrew only moments before a Tokyo quarter-final with Taylor Fritz,

Kyrgios blamed a knee injury for his decision.

Murray quit before the start of this week’s Antwerp tournament, the 250 event where he won his last ATP title in 2019.

The No. 46 said he wanted to pace himself and not burn out before the end of the Tour season; Bercy is the last event, beginning a week from Monday.

The Kyrgios kiss-off dealt a box office blow to Basel, which has already lost 10-time winner Roger Federer due to retirement but will make due with the low-impact pair of No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and quiet Norwegian Casper Ruud as headliners.

Federer also turned down an invitation from Basel organisers to say goodbye to his local fans at the event where he began his career as a ballboy.