Former champion Andy Murray given wildcard into 2022 Qatar Open

Former World No. 1 Andy Murray has been handed a wildcard into the 2022 Qatar Open, which commences on 14 February. The three-time Grand Slam champion will be making his first appearance in Doha in five years.

The Scot was the top-ranked player in the world in his previous appearance in 2017, when he lost to Novak Djokovic in a thrilling final. The contest marked a rare occasion in which the top two players in the world squared off in an ATP 250 tournament.

Murray is a two-time champion in Doha, having won the title in 2008 and 2009 by beating Stan Wawrinka and Andy Roddick respectively. The Scot has failed to reach the final only once in five visits to the venue (2014). He boasts a formidable 19-3 win-loss record at the tournament.

Andy Murray takes down Montpellier champion Alexander Bublik in 1st round in Rotterdam to mark top-100 return

Andy Murray celebrating his victory over Nikioloz Basilashvili in the first round of Australian Open 2022

While Andy Murray remains a shadow of his former self, he has been slowly playing himself back into form. He made the finals of the Sydney International earlier this year, losing out to top seed Aslan Karatsev. In the Australian Open, the 34-year-old edged out 21st seed Nikoloz Basilashvili in a dramatic five-set encounter in the first round.

He returned to the top 100 this week for the first time since 2018 and scored perhaps the most impressive victory of his season so far by taking out Alexander Bublik in straight sets in the first round of the 2022 Rotterdam Open.

The Kazakh was in scintillating form coming into the tournament, having beaten second seed Roberto Bautista Agut and top seed Alexander Zverev to lift the title at Montpellier last week.

Murray broke the 24-year-old as he served for the first set and clinched it in the ensuing tie-break. One break in the second set was all it took for the Scot to seal the victory.

Murray will face Australian Open quarterfinalist Felix Auger-Aliassime in the second round. The Canadian came from a set down to beat Egor Gerasimov in his opener.