From the moment Andy Murray walked into the news conference at Melbourne Park, you felt a sense that something wasn't quite right.

Asked a simple opening question of how he was feeling, an emotional Murray struggled to get an answer of "not great" out before covering his face with his cap and sobbing underneath.

Murray has often showed his emotion on court but this was different. This was raw emotion in a place where players - and indeed sport stars generally - don't like to show their true feelings in front of the world's media.

A sombre silence filled the room after Murray temporarily left - before he returned, a little more composed, and managed to tell us more.

The Scot said he planned to retire after this year's Wimbledon but feared the upcoming Australian Open could be the final tournament of his career....

Image source, Getty Images

Andy Murray, under the watchful eye of coach Jamie Delgado, fitness coach Matt Little and physio Shane Annun, is doing a few sprint drills in the corridors at Cincinnati.

The Scot gives a warm hug to Annun, grins broadly and then walks out to pop star-style cheers - with his mobile phone in hand.

Keep your eye out later on his Instagram account...

Hello! And welcome to live text coverage of a day we feared we'd never see: Andy Murray playing singles again.

So how have we gone from that day in Melbourne, which appeared to signal the beginning of the end of his playing career, to the 32-year-old Briton back on a singles court?

Literally, it has taken blood, sweat and tears. Or rather tears, blood and sweat...

...the Scot is back and ready to play singles again.

Western & Southern Open, Cincinnati, 12 August:

"At some stage have to make that jump and say 'right I'm ready'. I've built up properly, I've not gone from playing a few doubles match to playing singles.

"I've had no setbacks, no pain, things have been getting better every week. I feel like this the right time to try to play singles again."

Image source, Getty Images

...the end looked nigh for Andy Murray.

Australian Open, Melbourne, 11 January:

"I'd like to play until Wimbledon - that's where I'd like to stop playing - but I'm not certain I'm able to do that.

"I'm playing with no idea of when the pain will stop."

Image source, Getty Images