Murray arrives in Brisbane with plans for big Open
Tennis veteran Sir Andy Murray says he is “pumped” to be back in Australia and believes he can still match it with the world’s best players as he prepares for a 16th Australian Open.
The 36-year-old touched down in Queensland on Wednesday to start his season at the Brisbane International on December 31, a tournament he won twice back-to-back in 2012-13.
Murray had looked set to retire from tennis almost five years ago as a degenerative hip condition left him in significant pain during the 2019 Open, but the three-time grand slam winner bounced back after a second hip operation and said he still felt he was able to compete with the top-ranked players after a consistent 2023.
He reached the third round at Melbourne Park in January before second-round finishes at Wimbledon and the US Open.
“It was probably the most positive part of the year for me, that I was able to compete most weeks,” Murray told reporters in Brisbane.
“I had a little injury around the US Open time but apart from that was really good.
“So long as I’m healthy, it makes it a lot more enjoyable to be out on the court.
“When you’ve got lots of injuries … the rehab is a lot harder now than it was when I was younger, so hopefully I can stay fit.”
A five-time Australian Open runner-up during the prime of his career between 2010 and 2016, Murray said he had no plans of retiring while he still believed he could win at major tournaments.
“I always find I play some of my best tennis here, so I’m always excited to get going,” Murray said.
“The body is old, but I still love it. I’m still loving the training, and the travel and everything.
“It’s a little bit tougher now being away when you’ve got a young family, which is tough.
“But I feel good enough to compete with the best players in the world, and I’ll keep playing until I don’t feel like I can do that anymore.”
Murray said he had “great memories” from his two titles in Brisbane, where he will face off against a packed men’s draw, including world No.8 Holger Rune, Grigor Dimitrov (14) and his old rival Rafael Nadal.