Andy Murray withdraws before match against Novak Djokovic in Madrid

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Andy Murray withdrew from his showdown against Novak Djokovic at the Madrid Open on Thursday because of illness.

The announcement came not long before Murray was scheduled to take the court against the top-ranked Djokovic in the third round.

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Andy Murray, of Britain, celebrates a point against Dominic Thiem of Austria during their match at the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Monday, May 2, 2022.  (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Murray had won his first two matches in Madrid, defeating Dominic Thiem and Denis Shapovalov. The former No. 1 hadn't won consecutive matches since January.

There were no further details on Murray's illness.

Murray, ranked 78th in the world, has been making his way up the rankings since having hip surgery in both 2018 and 2019.