The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Murray ‘playing it smart’ as he readies for singles return
Rusedski says Scot’s decision to miss US Open for ATP Tour event shows he is making progress towards big-time comeback
Andy Murray’s decision not to play in the US Open doubles gives a “great message” about his progress towards a singles return, according to former British number one Greg Rusedski.
The 32-year-old Murray, who underwent hip surgery seven months ago in a bid to save his career, returned to singles action last week, when he lost 6-4 6-4 to Richard Gasquet at the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati.
He had initially returned in doubles competition to ease back into the swing of things but confirmed on Friday that he would not continue to do so at the US Open.
Murray will instead play an ATP Tour event – the Winston-Salem Open – where he was due to face Tennys Sandgren in the first round in the early hours of today, and Rusedski believes it could prove a wise decision from the two-time Wimbledon winner.
“It gives a great message, to be quite honest,” Rusedski said.
“I thought he got better in his match with Gasquet and for not having played a match in singles since the Australian Open.
“I thought he got better in the second set, starting moving better, and he is getting his focus back on to what he loves doing – playing singles.
“I think it was the right decision, I don’t think that physically he was ready to do three out of five set matches back to back.
“He is playing in Winston-Salem and has a good opportunity to win his first match. I don’t think he is ready for the US Open yet, so I think it is a smart play to drop down a level and play some challengers during the US Open with the goal to get back to singles.”
Rusedski feels Murray could now be looking to slowly build up back to his best in attempt to make a grand slam return next year.
“I think he is smart enough and he knows the goal is to be ready for 2020,” he added.
“I was surprised when he started in Cincinnati, I thought he was going to start in the singles in the Asian swing, and it is the right thing to do.
“If you are not physically ready, he knows where he is with his recovery and exactly what he is doing, so we will probably know more by 2020, if he enters the Australian Open, how far he has come.
“If he can get his movement back, that is the big question mark. He is still not up to the speed he once was but that is normal having only recently played his first singles game back.”