According to a statement on his official website, he is giving himself more time to recuperate in preparation for the long season ahead (click here to see what Murray said about his withdrawal from Marseille).
Murray had already decided not to defend his title in Rotterdam this week. The Dubai tournament will also be Roger Federer's first tournament since winning the Australian Open.
Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal will not return until the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells after retiring injured in the third set of his quarter final against Murray. Juan Martin del Potro has also this week been ruled out for four weeks with a wrist injury and will miss Argentina's Davis Cup tie against Sweden next month.
Novak Djokovic was the first of the top five to return to tour last week in Rotterdam but despite having one walk over and one opponent retire in the second set, he was pipped by Mikhael Youzhny in the semis.
These absences once again draw attention to the issue of the tennis calendar. Murray's comments were telling: already he's thinking about preserving physical and, most likely, mental energy for the rest of the year and yet he has only played an exhibition tournament and a Grand Slam in 2010.
At November's ATP World Tour Finals Nadal looked exhausted, as did Djokovic, suggesting just what a toll 11 months of tennis takes on the body and mind. The once formidable Nadal now looks a shadow of his former self.
With the players being fitter and stronger than ever there is so much more demand on them, physically and mentally, and matches must take more out of them than they have ever done before.
Perhaps it's time for the ATP to reassess the calendar so that the players can enjoy long careers in the sport and we can continue to enjoy fantastic contests between them. Click here to read about my suggestions for shortening the tennis season.
Murray had already decided not to defend his title in Rotterdam this week. The Dubai tournament will also be Roger Federer's first tournament since winning the Australian Open.
Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal will not return until the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells after retiring injured in the third set of his quarter final against Murray. Juan Martin del Potro has also this week been ruled out for four weeks with a wrist injury and will miss Argentina's Davis Cup tie against Sweden next month.
Novak Djokovic was the first of the top five to return to tour last week in Rotterdam but despite having one walk over and one opponent retire in the second set, he was pipped by Mikhael Youzhny in the semis.
These absences once again draw attention to the issue of the tennis calendar. Murray's comments were telling: already he's thinking about preserving physical and, most likely, mental energy for the rest of the year and yet he has only played an exhibition tournament and a Grand Slam in 2010.
At November's ATP World Tour Finals Nadal looked exhausted, as did Djokovic, suggesting just what a toll 11 months of tennis takes on the body and mind. The once formidable Nadal now looks a shadow of his former self.
With the players being fitter and stronger than ever there is so much more demand on them, physically and mentally, and matches must take more out of them than they have ever done before.
Perhaps it's time for the ATP to reassess the calendar so that the players can enjoy long careers in the sport and we can continue to enjoy fantastic contests between them. Click here to read about my suggestions for shortening the tennis season.
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