Kei Nishikori

Take your pick: clever Scot Andy Murray, 6-5 Argentine Juan Martin del Potro, talented Latvian Ernests Gulbis, Japanese teen Kei Nishikori and Muhammad Ali …

Let nobody say that Andy Murray is about to get carried away by his newly-elevated profile, $1million US Open pay cheque or enhanced value in the tennis marketplace.

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Former champions James Blake and Dmitry Tursunov lead the way into the summer hardcourt season at the ATP Indianapolis Championships starting Monday after the pullout of Andy Murray.

The Indianapolis Tennis Championships took another hit Friday before the first racket was swung. Already lacking its usual star power, the tournament lost ninth-ranked Andy Murray and No. 22 Feliciano Lopez to withdrawals.

LONDON (Reuters) - British number one Andy Murray has withdrawn from next week’s Indianapolis Tennis Championships to better prepare for the Olympics and the U.S. Open.

“Andy wants to take some rest and recharge his batteries before a very gruelling period including the Beijing Olympics,” a spokesman said on his website (www.andymurray.com) on Friday.

The 21-year-old has returned to the world’s top 10 after reaching the quarter-finals at this year’s Wimbledon where he lost to eventual champion Rafael Nadal of Spain.

Murray is still scheduled to play in the Toronto Masters which starts on July 21 but was quoted by the BBC saying:

“I’m playing less tournaments after Wimbledon because I have to make sure I have enough rest days and am not burnt out by the time I get to the U.S. Open. It’s a tough stretch.”

He added that playing in next month’s Beijing Games was one of his main priorities this season.

“It’s not just about the tennis, it’s about being in such a great competition. Very few athletes get the chance to do it these days. If you’re lucky you might get the chance… once in your career. To do it at 21 is great and I want to do well.

“It is an honour to represent your country and I am looking forward to it.”

Spain’s Feliciano Lopez and Italian Simone Bolelli have also pulled out of the Indianapolis event for personal reasons, while injuries have forced South Korean Lee Hyung-Taik (ankle) and Japan’s Kei Nishikori (stomach muscle) to withdraw.

(Writing by Ken Ferris, editing by Greg Stutchbury)

ANDY MURRAY yesterday suffered a doubles defeat to add to his early singles exit in Barcelona.