Murray feeling fit as he faces battle of Brits
ANDY MURRAY has claimed his fitness is better than his tennis as he prepares to face Cam Norrie in their last event before the US Open.
The Scot had to overcome cramp and fellow Grand Slam event winner StanWawrinka of Switzerland to reach the second round at theWestern & Southern Open in Cincinnati.
And the world No.47 admits that there will now be no “surprises” against his Davis Cup team-mate and British No.1 Norrie, below.
Murray has now played 33 matches this year – the most since his marathon 87 encounters took him to world No.1 in 2016, the year of his last Grand Slam title.
The 35-year-old Scot underwent a second hip operation in January 2019.
He probably needs a run to the semi-finals in Ohio to secure a seeding at the US Open, which starts on August 29.
And despite suffering an abdominal injury before Wimbledon and cramping in Ohio, Murray said: “In terms of how I have pulled up after matches and stuff, this has been the best I have felt in a really long time.
“So that’s good. However, I would definitely like my tennis to be better at times, because I’m still convinced that it can be better than where it is right now.
“There have been some good moments this year. But it’s not been easy these last few years to stay fit and healthy and play enough tennis to get matches to learn from and to build confidence and to get my body physically robust enough to compete week-in, week-out. “That’s a positive thing that I got to play more matches this year.
“And hopefully I can continue that until we get to the end of the season.”
Murray has reached finals in Sydney and Stuttgart this season but he lost in the first round in Montreal and Washington – and has been beaten seven times in the second round this year.
“In some of the instances I’m playing against better players,” he said.
“If you’re seeded in events or ranked higher, then you potentially avoid playing better players earlier in tournaments. That’s an advantage.
“Me and my team are hoping I can get to that level again where I’m consistently getting to the latter stages of events.” Wimbledon semi-finalist Norrie, the No.9 seed, saw off Norwegian teenager Holger Rune as he also attempts to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals in November for the first time. He is 14th in the rankings for the eight-man event in Turin.
Murray said of British compatriot Norrie, who is nine years his junior: “He is very different to how Stan plays, being a lefty. “Flat on the backhand, heavy topspin on the forehand.
“We have spent a little bit of time on the court together, so there won’t be many surprises out there for me.”