Look who’s back!
Murray back in Federer charity match
ANDY MURRAY hasn’t been seen on court since Wimbledon — and the Scot looked a little different as he donned a Tam o’ Shanter complete with ginger wig for a charity match against Roger Federer in Glasgow. Murray, who revealed he will not return for the Australian Open in January unless he is 100 per cent fit, came through an hour and 40 minutes against the Swiss master. But Federer, who joined in the fun by wearing a kilt in the second set (below), won 6-3, 3-6, 10-6 (tiebreak).
BEFORE Roger Federer started larking around in a kilt, Andy Murray played a competitive enough set of tennis against the Swiss master to suggest he could return in earnest in the new year.
In front of his own people, 11,000 of them in Glasgow’s SSE Hydro Arena, Murray appeared on court for the first time since Wimbledon and showed he has not forgotten how to hit a tennis ball.
The 30-year-old Scot moved with less than sublime ease but showed he can still run when he needs to.
His pre-match assessment that he is playing at 75-80 per cent looked about right during a 6-3, 3-6, 10-6 (tiebreak) loss to Federer in this match staged for UNICEF and local children’s charities.
‘I felt better than I expected and thought I did OK,’ was his verdict after losing the first set. ‘I was just really happy to be out here again. I thought it went pretty well.ll. For a first match in thathat long it was great..
‘I felt prettyy good — not perfect, but moving in the right direction.’ There was some hobbling around the baseline betweenn points, but in thehe rhythm of the ralliesallies he at least lookedooked recognisable as the conquering player of a year ago.
Earlier, in his first real update since his late withdrawal from the US Open last year, Murray discussed the chances of making a planned comeback at January’s Brisbane International.
‘I hope I’m there,’ he said. ‘Things have been going pretty well so far in the rehab but you take each week at it comes, you have setbacks and then things come on quite quickly as well.
‘I’ve been training for a few wweeks now. SSome days I’ve fefelt great, some dadays not so good. I’ll comec back when I’m readyre and 100 per cent fitfit. ‘I made probably a bit of a mistake trying to get ready for the US Open but it was the last major of the year and I wanted to give it a go.’ Asked how he has been feeling, Murray replied: ‘I’ve spent more time in the gym with my physios than I have on the tennis court but in the last 10 days I’ve been on the court an hour-and-a-half, two hours, most days.’ He believes that, ultimately, he will be able to compete at full tilt again. ‘I believe I will, yes. You never know how you’re going to come back from injuries but I have been hitting the ball very well in practice.
‘ It’s just that there is a difference between that 75-80 per cent practice and going flat out for two-and-a-half or three hours. I can’t say for certain, but I think I’ll be able to come back just fine.’
Murray has been vague about the exact nature of his hip problem — something he is entitled to do as an individual athlete — and is still reluctant to give too much detail.
‘There are a few things going on in my hip that I don’t need to talk about here. I spoke to a bunch of specialists. Surgery was not recommended for me and obviously that’s great. You never know how you’re going to come back from surgery. If you can go down a conservative route then it’s better.’
He confirmed that he still intends to go to America for some kind of winter training block, but will alter his normal schedule.
‘My plan is to do a couple of weeks in Miami and then go to Australia very early, much earlier than I have done in the past.
‘If I can go there a little bit earlier to get used to the conditions, a bit sooner than some of the other players, that might help level it up a little bit for me.’