Murray plays down expectations in USA
ANDY MURRAY seems certain to make his grand slam return at the US Open next week but what happens after that is distinctly less predictable.
It is more than a year since the former world number one last played at one of tennis’ big four events, limping through to the quarter-finals of Wimbledon.
Since hip surgery in January, Murray has been taking his comeback cautiously and decided against playing at Wimbledon only two weeks after returning to the match court.
But, with four tournaments and seven matches — four of them victories — now under his belt, Murray is poised to take the next step.
The 31-year-old said: ‘My body feels better than it did a few weeks ago, so that’s positive. Just being around these players and practising with them more and more on a more consistent basis is going to help me improve.
‘My expectation is to give my best effort in the matches. Hopefully if I do that, my tennis will get better. It’s kind of difficult to predict how you’re going to do and say how far you’re going to go in the event.
‘My tennis is getting better all the time. I just need to be on the court more consistently through until the end of the year.’
Twelve months ago, Murray was criticised for pulling out on the eve of the US Open, while he also withdrew the day before the start of Wimbledon this summer, so nothing can be completely certain until he steps out on court on Monday for a first-round clash with Australia’s James Duckworth.
By good fortune, Murray has drawn one of the only players ranked lower than him — 445 to 378 — with Duckworth also entering the tournament on a protected ranking following injury.
Should he win that, things are likely to get significantly tougher, with 31st seed Fernando Verdasco or Feliciano Lopez up next, and third seed Juan Martin del Potro a potential third-round opponent.
Murray has been seen as a potential champion ever since reaching his first slam final in New York in 2008, and tempering expectations does not come easily.
‘It feels slightly different this one because for the last 10 years or so I’ve been coming and trying to prepare to win the event, whereas I don’t feel like that’s realistic for me this year. It’s a slightly different mentality. That feels a bit odd.’
What held Murray back from playing Wimbledon was the prospect of five-set tennis, and he remains unsure how his body will hold up, but the three long matches he played back-to-back in Washington this month will no doubt have given him confidence.
Murray added: ‘I haven’t played one (five-set match). You don’t know until you actually get out there and do it. The benefit of the slams is having that day off to recover in between, which will help me.’
GRAND SLAM success has lifted the weight of pressure off Simona Halep’s shoulders and she is looking to take advantage at the US Open.
Whatever happens over the next two weeks in New York, Halep is guaranteed to end the tournament ranked number one after establishing herself as the best player in the world.
After losing a heartbreaking third slam final at the Australian Open, she finally lifted one of the sport’s biggest prizes at the French Open and has impressed so far on the North American hard courts, winning the title in Montreal before losing to Kiki Bertens in the final in Cincinnati last weekend.
The Romanian said: ‘I’m more relaxed. These two were my dreams, to be number one in the world and to win a grand slam. Always I say number one in the world without a grand slam, you are not a real number one.’