“I Thought I Moved Pretty Well”: Andy Murray Positive About Fitness Ahead of Alexander Zverev Clash

Andy Murray seems to have put his injury issues behind him. The Briton star feels that the biggest positive for him on his return to tennis is how well he moved on the court. Murray made a strong start on his return to tennis with a hard-fought win against Frances Tiafoe on Saturday.

Murray won 7-6(6), 3-6, 6-1, to set up a clash with Alexander Zverev in the next round. Andy Murray admitted that he was worried about his troublesome hip before his return. All those doubts seem to be at rest now.

“I thought I moved well today. That was probably the thing I was most happy with and probably the thing I was most apprehensive about going into the match,” Murray said after the match. “I thought I moved pretty well. My tennis could have been better. I did some things well at the end, but I could definitely improve in terms of my game,” he added. The following rally proves Murray’s point to a great extent.

Murray’s history with hip injury

Murray was at his peak back in 2016. He won Wimbledon for this third Grand Slam title. Just a month later, he won his second Olympic gold medal at the 2016 Games in Rio. He won two more Masters 1000 titles later that year, in Shanghai and Paris. He then won the ATP Finals and the then world number one was in a purple patch like never before. But the next season, his life turned upside down.

An elbow injury troubled him in early 2017 before the hip troubles started around Wimbledon. The next two years saw him undergo two surgeries on his hip followed by rehabilitation. Murray returned to competition in June last year and was soon showing signs of his best self. He won the ATP Antwerp Open in November last year in his biggest win in years. But the injury issues started again after that. Murray is now back after another nine-month break.

Positive signs for Andy Murray

Murray was apprehensive about his form before the match against Tiafoe. He said that he felt a bit off the pace practicing with some top players before the event. His hip felt good in practice, and now he feels even better having tested it in a match. Though it was a lengthy three-setter, that match was what Murray exactly needed to test his fitness.

A fit Andy Murray is always good news for competitive tennis and it will be interesting to see his progress with the US Open coming up.

Also read – Andy Murray on the “Astronomical” Prices for Private Homes at US Open 2020 Bubble