Murray’s Aussie bid will be true test: Rusedski
GREG Rusedski has warned Andy Murray still has a long road ahead if he is to return to the top of the game.
The former World No.1 has surprised many, including Rusedski, with the level at which he has been able to play only eight-and-a-half months after hip resurfacing surgery.
In a three-week stint in China, Murray beat now World No.11 Matteo Berrettini and pushed Dominic Thiem and Fabio Fognini hard in close defeats.
It was a big step up from the performances Murray produced on his return to singles action in America in August and gave hope to his fans, as well as the
Scot, that he could perhaps again challenge for the biggest titles.
But, after two years of struggles with his right hip and at the age of 32, Rusedski believes it is too early to make predictions.
The former British No.1 said: “I’ve been pleasantly surprised. I thought it would be much more difficult for him, I thought it would take a little bit longer, but he’s played very, very well.
“The question mark is still how much can his body take week in, week out. There’s still a long road back.
“He’s played two matches back-to-back, but can he play three, four, five days in a row?
It’s too hard to predict. I think we’ll know more when he plays the Australian Open and a threeout-of-five-set match.
“It’s not his mentality or his tennis, it’s what the body will allow him to do. But the signs are very positive.”
Murray (right) continued his return to top-level action by reaching the quarter-finals of the European Open in Antwerp with a straight-sets victory over Pablo Cuevas last night.
Murray, now ranked 243rd as he battles back from hip surgery, saw off the Uruguayan 6-4 6-3 in just under 84 minutes. World number 45 Cuevas saved seven break points in the first set but was eventually undone in the 10th game and Murray claimed another decisive break in the ninth game of the second set. Otherwise it was a day of surprises in Belgium as the top three seeds all went out.
Top seed Gael Monfils of France was stunned 6-3 6-2 by
Italian wildcard Jannik Sinner while second seed David Goffin of Belgium went down 6-3 6-1 to Frenchman Ugo Humbert.
Murray’s next opponent was confirmed as Romanian qualifier Marius Copil beat third seed Diego Schwartzman 6-4 5-7 7-6.
The day’s other match saw American Frances Tiafoe beat seventh seed Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3 6-4.
Former world number eight Janko Tipsarevic rolled back the years at the Instrum Stockholm Open by postponing his retirement with a brilliant 6-1 6-1 thrashing of top seed Fabio Fognini.