BIELLA, 28 January, 2021 (TON): Andy Murray has joined a lower-tier challenger tournament in Italy next month.

Before this, Andy withdrew himself from the Australian Open.

The Italian Tennis Federation confirmed that Andy Murray will compete in a challenger tournament in Biella next month following his Australian Open withdrawal.

The indoor tournament begins ion 15th February and has 132,000 Euros of prize money and will mark the 33-year-old's first appearance at a challenger event since competing in Mallorca in August 2019.

The player is ranked 123rd in the world after battling his way back from two hip operations.

Also entered for the Biella tournament are 54th-ranked Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, No 74 Lucas Pouille, Sebastian Korda, Andreas Seppi and Lorenzo Musetti.

Murray has offered advice to recreational tennis players on how to stay fit for the sport during lockdown.

In a blog he wrote, "The last 12 months have been tough for tennis players. Courts have been closed, then opened, then closed again”.

"Club tournaments and social events have been cancelled, junior tennis has been scaled back and there hasn't been much professional tennis to watch either.

"Whilst clubs are still shut, I thought it would be useful to put together some of my tips on how to stay tennis ready for when we can all get back on court."

General fitness as the most important cornerstone, Murray cited, tennis-specific exercises he recommends include catching a ball thrown against a wall, knocking down targets and a footwork drill involving moving around two tennis balls in a figure of eight.