Andy Murray to compete at Battle of the Brits event despite growing COVID concerns

The exhibition event - scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday - is the brainchild of his brother Jamie and will pit the leading male players from Scotland against their English counterparts.

However, the rapid rise in cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant has put large-scale events once more in doubt.

Murray missed out on a long-awaited return to the Australian Open last year because of an untimely bout of coronavirus. Nevertheless, the former world number one is still planning to head to Scotland.

Speaking after a 6-3 6-2 victory over English number one Dan Evans at the exhibition Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, Murray said: "As far as I'm aware it's still going ahead but obviously it changes daily as to what the guidance is and what is and isn't allowed.

"Certainly it's very concerning what's happening at home just now, the number of cases. It's rising unbelievably quickly. There's lots of people that I know that have had the virus recently or have just caught it, which was not really the case with the first couple of waves.

"If they change the guidelines and fans are not allowed then that's obviously a decision that my brother and the people organising the event would have to take.

"The last information we were given was I think yesterday morning that the event was still going ahead. There's different protocols in place now in terms of testing and limitations on the people you can bring with you. Things are obviously changing all the time just now so we'll have to wait and see."

Plans for a big Murray family Christmas in Scotland have been cancelled and the former world number one will instead spend the period at home in Surrey with wife Kim, their four children and Kim's parents.

He is also hoping to get the booster jab before travelling to Australia on December 27 or 28.