Murray won’t stop chasing Grand Slams
The former world No 1 vows to continue chasing glory.
Andy Murray
Andy Murray admitted it will be tough to win another Grand Slam, saying he was back at “square one” in his career after his US Open exit.
The British three-time major winner was well beaten in the second round on Thursday, falling to Canadian 15th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-2, 6-3, 6-4.
The tournament in New York marked Murray’s first Grand Slam singles appearance since the 2019 Australian Open, having faced a career-threatening hip injury.
Murray, 33, said he needed more time after struggling to back up following his stunning comeback win over Yoshihito Nishioka, with the first-round clash going longer than four and a half hours.
“I don’t know what I was expecting. The number one priority for me was that my hip was good, and it coped really well with a five-set match, which lots of people, myself included, weren’t sure how I was going to do with that and actually coped relatively well the other day against a very tough opponent. So that was positive,” he told a news conference.
“I feel like I’m back at square one, having not played in slams for a few years, I need to build up my body and my physical conditioning so that I have the ability to back up five-set matches.
“That takes a bit of time, unfortunately. Well, for me, anyway. Maybe other players it doesn’t.”
Murray last won a grand slam at Wimbledon in 2016, and he has not been beyond the second round at a major in just three appearances since 2018.
We’re just glad to have you back, @andy_murray.
Onwards and upwards #USOpen pic.twitter.com/SBvreEhcIp
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 4, 2020
While he accepts winning another major will be difficult, Murray will not stop trying.
“I would say even after tonight, I would say I’m more positive about what I could do in Grand Slams than I was before I came over here. You guys obviously don’t know how I was feeling even just a couple of months ago,” he said.
“So like I said, to come over here and play, I played a couple of tough matches in Cincinnati and I played certainly one very tough match here, and my right hip felt good. That’s really, really positive.
“There are other things that need to get better, but I would say that I’m more positive now than what I was a couple of months ago, that’s for sure.
“In terms of winning Grand Slams again, that’s going to be extremely difficult to do. It was hard enough when I had two normal hips. So it will be difficult, but I’ll keep trying, like, why not? Why shouldn’t I try my hardest to do that?
“And if I don’t, that’s all right. But I might as well shoot for the stars. And if I don’t – yeah, if I don’t get there, then that’s all right. But I’m trying my best to get the most out of what my body gives me now.”
