Wimbledon champion Andy Murray has declined the offer of a wildcard for the Heineken Open after his early exit from the Qatar Open.

The Auckland tournament’s final wildcard will instead go to New Zealander Rubin Statham.

Murray, the world No.4, was beaten by German Florian Mayer in Doha this week in the second round of his first ATP event since a back operation.

Heineken Open tournament director Karl Budge approached Murray’s team to see if the 26-year-old Briton wanted more match play before the Australian Open, admitting his move was a long shot.

Budge said on Saturday that he had heard back overnight that Murray had decided against taking up the offer.

The Scotsman, who has two grand slam titles to his name, played in Auckland as a teenager in 2006, when he made the second round.

He has been reported as preparing for an exhibition event in Kooyong, Melbourne.

Statham, New Zealand’s topped ranked player at 290, will make his fourth appearance in the Heineken Open main draw.

The 26-year-old Aucklander has got past the first round once, in 2010, after he beat compatriot Dan King-Turner.

This year’s tournament, which begins on Monday, is again headlined by Spanish world No.3 David Ferrer, the defending champion and four-time winner.