“I can get myself much higher” – Andy Murray feeling bullish ahead of US Open, despite fresh injury setback

The prime target for Andy Murray during this year’s North American hard-court swing was to earn a seeding for the US Open, so as to avoid an early encounter with a top-ranked player.

This was also his target prior to Wimbledon, one that he narrowly missed out on following his first round loss to Alex De Minaur at Queen’s.

Due to an abdominal strain suffered at last week’s National Bank Open in Toronto, this target will now not be reached for a second time this summer, meaning the former world No 1 is exposed to the mercy of the draw yet again for the final Grand Slam of the year.

Nevertheless, the three-time major champion remains upbeat about his prospects for climbing up the rankings, and is as bullish as ever when it comes to his own ability to compete with the sport’s best.

Murray eyeing a push up the rankings

“I’m at my highest ranking I’ve been since I had the operation on my hip. I’m really proud of that,” the Scot said in a recent interview with The Guardian.

Murray had hip resurfacing surgery in January 2019, an operation so extensive that no professional athlete has ever returned to full individual competition following the procedure.

I don’t think that this is like the limit for me. I do think that I can get myself much higher.

Murray on continuing to push his way back to tennis’ top table

Indeed, many in the tennis world and beyond believed that the two-time Wimbledon champion’s competitive singles matches were behind him. Murray himself had no idea if he could return from it.

Yet, as is the trait that has long defined his career, the indomitable Scot proved everyone wrong by defying the odds yet again.

“I had that operation a really long time ago. It has taken lots and lots of hard work and effort to get back to the top 40 in the world and I still feel like before the year’s out that I can push that even higher.

“I don’t think that this is like the limit for me. I do think that I can get myself much higher.”

Cause for optimism ahead of US Open

Despite the abdominal strain meaning he misses this week’s Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati – and with it, the chance of a seeding in New York – Murray is taking the positives from a promising, albeit curtailed, run-up to the US Open.

“I was much happier, even though I lost the match against Fritz in Washington, in terms of the way that I played the match and approach to some of the shots in my game that I’ve been working on, usually it can take a little while.

“You can work on something for a couple of weeks usually, and for it to feel good straight away. But some of the stuff I’ve been working on sunk in pretty quick and that’s been really positive.”

HEAR HIM ROAR 🗣@andy_murray takes out Purcell 7-6 3-6 7-5 to advance in Toronto! 👊@NBOtoronto | #NBO23 pic.twitter.com/TV6EqWeIfi

— ATP Tour (@atptour) August 10, 2023

The 2012 US Open champion will once again arrive at the final Grand Slam of the season with little idea of what to expect, and with no seeding to protect him from yet another early big-name encounter.

But Murray, perhaps more than anyone in tennis by this point, understands that the process takes time – and that progress will not always be linear.

Looking back on a season now nearly two thirds of the way through, Andy Murray can see a clear trajectory – and it is only going up.

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