Andy Murray facing ‘huge year’, but brother Jamie says former world No 1 still has ‘a lot of great tennis in him’
Andy Murray’s “tennis ability hasn’t diminished in any way” and a full year on the ATP Tour will help him to “see where he is at”, according to his brother Jamie.
Three-time Grand Slam winner Andy has struggled with injury the past few years and his last full season was in 2016 as he underwent two major hip operations.
However, the 33-year-old had his heart set on a full campaign this year, but then misfortune struck again as he tested positive for coronavirus and was forced to pull out of the 2021 Australian Open.
Andy Murray ‘gutted’ as he shelves plans to play at Australian Open
Jamie insists his brother still has the ability to compete at the top of the game, but he needs to play consistently to see “whether his body can cope with the demands”.
“He’s done incredibly well to get to this point where he feels like he’s in a position now to go out and compete against the best players in the world,” the doubles specialist told the Bunkered podcast.
“It’s obviously been incredibly frustrating for him because he’s had a lot of setbacks along the way. It’s been very stop-start.”
He added: “Even 2020, when he was just getting back to fitness and he was just about ready to go compete in Miami, Covid hit and the Tour shut down, that was another five or six-month break.
“So it’s been difficult for him but I think he’s in a good place just now. That’s just the vibes I get from seeing him training and some of the matches we had in December.
“This is obviously a huge year for him. If he can stay fit, healthy, play a full calendar year and see where he’s at, what his level’s at, what he’s able to do week in, week out on the Tour. He’s not had a clear run at it for two or three years, maybe even longer.
“He’s still got a lot of great tennis in him. His tennis ability hasn’t diminished in any way. It’s just obviously whether his body can cope with the demands of the Tour.”
Follow us on Twitter @T365Official and like our Facebook page.
Latest
-
ATP TourNick Kyrgios ready to ‘put on a good show’ for Canadian fans as he accepts Toronto wildcard
Nick Kyrgios off to Toronto.
-
Tennis NewsSimona Halep ‘motivated for what’s next’ after overcoming ‘hardest time of her career’
Simona Halep ready to go again after injury setback.
-
Tennis NewsTracy Austin on Novak Djokovic’s ‘implosion’ and being compared to tennis’ ‘Mother Teresa and Dalai Lama’
“I am not condoning it. He has a lot of pressure,” says Austin.
-
ATP TourRusty Rafael Nadal ‘not worried’ about sluggish win over Jack Sock, but eager to keep the momentum
Rafael Nadal made to work for his win by Jack Sock.
-
T365 RecallT365 Recalls: When Serena Williams wondered ‘where do I go from here’ after thrashing Maria Sharapova at London Olympics
“I have everything there is to win in tennis.”
-
Tennis FeaturesPremier League preview 2021/22: Jamie Vardy offers cracking each-way value in Golden Boot betting
Leicester man ‘scores goals and should do again’.
-
Tennis NewsNick Kyrgios gives brutal assessment about his game and mentality after defeat, saying ‘my head’s in the shed’
“I’m losing and I’m barely getting angry,” says Nick Kyrgios.
-
US OpenRafael Nadal on Novak Djokovic’s Calendar Grand Slam effort: ‘I definitely believe that he can do it’
“When you win three, you can win four,” says Rafael Nadal.
-
ATP TourFormer champion Andy Murray accepts wildcard entry for Cincinnati Masters
Andy Murray to return to Cincinnati.
-
WTA Tour‘I’m sorry to be missing out on Montreal,’ says Naomi Osaka as she leads high-profile withdrawals
Naomi Osaka’s WTA Tour return delayed.