NEW YORK — Former world number one Andy Murray has all but ruled out playing singles at Wimbledon this year and said he will focus on doubles when he makes his comeback from hip-resurfacing surgery.

The Scot has not played since his first-round exit from the Australian Open in January, but said last month he was finally pain-free after the operation and planning to return to the ATP tour.

Murray, who will get a wildcard for the Queen's Club Championships in June if fit, told the Times that playing singles would be a step too far given the state of his rehabilitation.

"It's not enough time," the 32-year-old said. "I'd say there's very little chance I'd play singles during the grass (season). Potentially doubles, but I'm not trying to get ready for singles. I've only just started moving now."

Murray has started training since the procedure and hopes to emulate doubles veteran Bob Bryan, who successfully returned to competitive tennis after a similar operation.

Bryan, who cut his season short in 2018 to have surgery and returned to the tour this year, was the one who advised Murray that surgery could improve his quality of life when the Scot was thinking of quitting tennis.

"I don't have pain," Murray added. "I just need to see how good the hip can get really. I know from seeing what Bob Bryan has done that for doubles it will be absolutely fine. I'll need to see from there how it would work singles-wise.

"If I continue to feel good then I will obviously give it a shot in singles and see what happens. In doubles I'm pretty certain I'll be able to play, just based on having an example to look at."

Barty withdraws from Strasbourg International

Ashleigh Barty's French Open preparations suffered a blow on Tuesday when a right arm injury forced the Australian's withdrawal from the Strasbourg International.

World number eight Barty pulled out of her opening round match against compatriot Daria Gavrilova.

"I felt that it was back. I tested myself, but this morning, I knew that I will not be able to play," the 23-year-old Barty told reporters.

"Next week there is Roland-Garros ... Then it's the grass season. I will have two very busy months. For now, the only thing to do is to spend two or three days without touching the racket. I hope that I will be 100 percent next week."

Top seed Barty was replaced in the Strasbourg tournament by Latvian lucky loser Diana Marcinkevica. — Reuters