Former world number one Andy Murray has said the Australian Open could be his last tournament as he continues to struggle with severe pain from his troublesome right hip.
Murray had surgery on the hip a year ago and has been unable to recover his best form.
He told reporters at Melbourne Park that he had hoped to play until at least this year's Wimbledon tournament but said he felt the Australian Open might end up being his swansong.
"Yeah, I think there's a chance of that, yeah for sure," he said, as he struggled to hold back tears.
"I'm not sure I'm able to play through the pain for another four or five months."
The Australian Open starts on Monday.
Murray said he was mulling another round of major hip surgery but added that it was more aimed at improving his "quality of life" and it might not mean an eventual return to the tour.
"I have an option to have another operation which is a little bit more kind of severe than what I've had before, having my hip resurfaced which would allow me to have a better quality of life," he said.
"That's something I'm seriously considering right now ... Some athletes have had that and gone back to competing but there's obviously no guarantees."
He said basic things in everyday life, like putting on socks and shoes, caused him severe pain and he had grown weary of talking about his hip in every conversation.
Murray, who visibly struggled in a 6-1 4-1 practice match defeat to top seed Novak Djokovic at Melbourne Park on Thursday, has been drawn to play 22nd seeded Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut in the first round on Monday.
"I'm going to play, I can still play to a level, not a level that I'm happy playing at," he said.
