Andy Murray training at the Rafa Nadal Academy in preparation for this week's tournament. | autoría @Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar

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Andy Murray arrived on Saturday to prepare for the Rafa Nadal Open in Majorca that starts today.

Former world number one Andy Murray competes in his first Challenger Tour event in 14 years at the Rafa Nadal Open in Manacor, which is being sponsored by Sotheby´s International Realty.

It will not be the first time Murray has played at the Manacor facility, in July 2016 Murray played there in preparation for the U.S open.

The 32-year-old pulled out of the doubles event at this year's U.S. Open to focus on his singles comeback after undergoing career-saving hip resurfacing surgery in January.

Murray was beaten in straight sets by Richard Gasquet at the Cincinnati Masters earlier this month. He then lost to American Tennys Sandgren in the first round of the Winston-Salem Open last week.

The three-times Grand Slam champion has now decided to step down to the second-tier for the first time since 2005, when he played in the Challenger event in Mons, Belgium as an 18-year-old.

World number 329 Murray is set to return to the ATP Tour with two tournaments in China -- Zhuhai and Beijing -- in September and October.

The Rafa Nadal Open runs from today to Sept. 1.

Murray's first match will be this evening.

Entrance to the tournament is free. See the Rafal Nadal Open website for further information.