Finally healthy Andy Murray says he can win a major



Andy Murray says he feels "great again" after overcoming an elbow injury in time for this week's Madrid Open.

The Briton has not played since losing in the Monte Carlos Masters semi-finals to Rafael Nadal on April 16.

He withdrew from the Barcelona Open but says he was able to get back "into gradual training" after resting for five or six days.

Murray, the 2008 Madrid Open champion, has struggled since a straight-sets defeat to Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open to drop to 0-3 in grand slam finals.

The 23-year-old World No 4 has a first-round bye in Madrid, a tournament he won when it was played on a hard court surface rather than the current clay, and he will meet either Frenchman Gilles Simon or the experienced Croatian Ivan Ljubicic in the second round.

Looking ahead to the French Open in four weeks, Murray said: "I don't care what people say, I know I can win a major. I'm sure that I'll get there."

In the women's Madrid Masters, Caroline Wozniacki, the top seed, opened her campaign yesterday with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Ayumi Morita of Japan.

Also in Madrid, Francesca Schiavone won her first clay court match of the season, defeating China's Peng Shuai 7-5, 7-6.

Elsewhere, Nikolay Davydenko beat Florian Mayer of Germany 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 to win his second BMW Open title in Munich.

Davydenko broke serve for a decisive 2-0 lead in the final set and breezed through for his 21st title.

In Portugal, Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina beat Fernando Verdasco of Spain 6-2, 6-2 in the Estoril Open final, claiming victory in his first clay-court event of the year.

The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

The rules on fostering in the UAE

A foster couple or family must:

  • be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
  • not be younger than 25 years old
  • not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
  • be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
  • have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
  • undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
  • A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups

Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.

Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.

Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.

Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.

Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.

Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.

Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.

Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.