Sizzling Murray makes winning return at Queen's

Former world number one Andy Murray made a victorious return after what he described as "life-changing" hip surgery at a raucous Queen's on Thursday.

The three-time Grand Slam champion partnered Spain's Feliciano Lopez to a 7-6 (7/5) 6-3 victory in his first competitive match in five months.

Playing on a packed centre court including his wife Kim, Murray showed little fear in stretching himself despite being off the circuit since January.

His friend Lopez did not show any sign either of being burdened by the allegations made against him of match-fixing in the Spanish media, which he strongly denied on Wednesday.

Murray said afterwards he would be playing doubles at Wimbledon with Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert.

Murray said he had learned quite a bit from the match.

"I expected to be the worst player on the court and to not feel particularly good on the court which you know was probably the case in the first set," he said.

"I started to play better in the second and have zero discomfort in my hip which would not have been the case last year, I would have been aching and throbbing."
"I don't know how long it will take to get to that level, but you know, hopefully not too long."
- 'Need those butterflies' -
============================
"But you need those butterflies."