MURRAY’S NO SCAREDY QAT
ANDY MURRAY today bids to end his long losing streak at the Qatar Open, telling fans that he has no intention of quitting.
The Scot turns 37 in May, with critics suggesting it’s time he hung up his racket, but Murray says there’s only one person he’ll listen to when it comes to his future. Himself.
The world No.50 has lost in the first round of all four of his events this season and has not won since October.
Before his first match of the season in Brisbane, Murray (right) admitted this could be his last year in the game. But, despite his dreadful run, he suggested he has gained a new lease of life.
The three-time Major champion, who is continuing his career with a metal hip, said: “When I was in my early 20s it was mainly young fans who would ask for autographs but now, as I get older, people whose bodies are falling apart approach me.
“They are kind of like: ‘It’s great that you keep going, it’s inspired me to get out and keep training,’ so the demographic has changed a little bit.
“It’s nice, I can do whatever I want. I don’t have to do what fans, journalists or anyone is telling me to do.
“Qualifying for all these tournaments on my ranking and all the matches that I’ve won, that makes me want to keep playing just now, so I’m not going to stop.”
The former Wimbledon champion has a great chance to end the worst run of his career against French qualifier Alexandre Muller in his opening match in Qatar today.
Murray, who could face top seed Andrey Rublev in the last eight, added: “Tennis-wise, it hasn’t been a great start to the year. I’ve not experienced a period like this as a professional. It’s been difficult, a new experience for me and not the nicest, but it’s good to experience new things and try and learn from them.
“I’ve never experienced playing really well in practice and not being able to translate it to a match, it was always the opposite for me. I was never a great practice player, I never used to win practice matches or exhibitions. It’s been the complete opposite for me recently. I know there’s better tennis in me than I’m showing just now but I can turn it around.
“Physically, I’m not expecting to feel how I did when I was 20. It’s hard when you get to your mid-to-late 30s to stay at the level required to beat the best. But I know I can play a lot better than I have been.”