Andy Murray says Australian Open could be his final event

Andy Murray has announced that he is set to retire and next week's Australian Open could even be his final tournament.

Murray, troubled by a hip injury, was a 66-1 shot after being drawn against in-form Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut in the opening round of 2019's first Grand Slam and has been pushed out to 100-1.

He said: "I'm not sure I'm able to play through the pain for another four or five months.

"I want to get to Wimbledon and stop but I'm not certain I can do that."

Murray was eased in the betting following a tricky draw against a player who started the season by lifting the ATP Qatar Open title.

Bautista Agut beat Novak Djokovic on the way to victory in the gulf and is 2-9 to beat Murray, who is a 15-4 shot to progress.

Murray is 10-11 with Ladbrokes to win the lifetime achievement award at the 2019 BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

Djokovic, who won Wimbledon and the US Open last season to cap his own remarkable injury comeback, will open up against a qualifier but faces a potentially tough second-round meeting with wildcard Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. The Serb is a top-priced 5-4 to win three consecutive Grand Slam titles.

Roger Federer, who has won back-to-back Melbourne titles, begins his defence against Denis Istomin and the Swiss legend is no bigger than 5-1 as he bids to pick up a 21st Grand Slam title in Victoria.

Rafael Nadal could be on course for a fourth-round meeting with Great Britain's Kyle Edmund - who has a tough opener of his own against Tomas Berdych - but the Majorcan is also struggling for fitness early in the season and is out to 9-1. ATP World Tour Finals winner Alexander Zverev is a 12-1 shot and it's 33-1 the rest of the field.

In the women's event, Serena Williams begins her campaign against Germany's Tatjana Maria and is no bigger than 9-2 to go one better than she did in Wimbledon and New York by claiming the title.

Serena could meet older sister Venus in the fourth round or face a potential test against world number one Simona Halep.

Halep, beaten finalist last season and a loser in her opening match of 2019 against Ashleigh Barty on Wednesday, is 16-1 to claim her second Grand Slam title.

Number two seed and Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber was the big mover in the women's draw as bookmakers quickly moved to cut her odds after the German landed in a favourable section. She is 8-1 with bet365 and Betfred but most firms are a point shorter at 7-1.

British women's number one Johanna Konta withdrew from the Sydney International this week with a neck injury and faces a tough first-round assignment against Australia's Alja Tomljanovic.

Konta is 50-1 to win the title while defending champion Caroline Wozniacki can be backed at 25-1.

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