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Andy Murray struggling with illness again on eve of the French Open as nightmare 2017 continues

Andy Murray faces a race against time to be fit for the French Open as he struggles with yet another illness.

The Scot was absent from Great Britain's Davis Cup quarter-final against France with a flu-type virus in March, having missed all of February due to shingles.

And now Murray is understood to be laid low by fresh illness, for which he is taking antibiotics.

Another energy-sapping bout of sickness is the last thing the 30 year-old needs as he tries to salvage a dreadful start to the year with a strong run at Roland Garros.

After ending 2016 in such good form, Murray's 28-match winning streak was halted by Novak Djokovic in the Qatar Open final at the start of the year. He was then stunned by world No 50 Mischa Zverev in the last 16 of the Australian Open.

Murray went on to miss February as he battled with shingles but the two-time Wimbledon champion returned to form with a win in Dubai in early March, only to be dumped out in the second round of the Indian Wells Masters by Vadek Pospisil.

He later pulled out of the Miami Masters and the Davis Cup before disappointing in Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid and, last week, Rome.

Those who watched him practice in Italy commented on how quickly Murray was tiring, and with a new illness impacting him just before the French - widely considered the most gruelling of the majors - Murray is approaching the year's second major in far from ideal shape.