Former world No1 Andy Murray will play an ATP Challenger event for the first time in 14 years next week after he was today confirmed for the Rafa Nadal Open at the Spaniard’s academy in Mallorca, writes Justin Palmer.

The Scot has decided to get matches under his belt in the game’s second tier as he continues his comeback from career-saving hip surgery in January.

After playing a handful of doubles matches, the 32-year-old made his singles return in Cincinnati earlier this month, where he lost to Frenchman Richard Gasquet. Following Monday’s straight-sets loss to world No73 Tennys Sandgren in the first round of the Winston-Salem Open, Murray said he was considering playing “a level down to build my game up a bit”.

Murray had already confirmed he would not accept a wildcard for the US Open, a tournament he won in 2012 after defeasting Novak Djokovic.