Andy Murray backs shot clock change as he makes winning return to hardcourts

ATP Tour
Andy Murray serves

Andy Murray made a winning return to hardcourts, battling past Mackenzie McDonald in Washington.

The 31-year-old, who has not played a hardcourt match on the ATP Tour since Indian Wells over a year ago, lost the first set but fought back to claim an impressive 3-6 6-4 7-5 win.

“I fought hard and I had to,” Murray said. “The movements and stuff were fine. I didn’t break down. It lasted pretty well.

“I enjoyed getting through that one. You could see it in the celebration.

“That was a tough match. It could have gone either way. It was nice to get it.”

“I hadn’t played in darkness or under the lights in a really long time and I felt my rhythm was off.

“I was struggling on my serve. I cut the unforced errors a little bit in the second set and started serving better.”

Andy Murray will now face British number one Kyle Edmund in the second round, and he knows he’ll need to be much better to get any furhter in the competition.

“I’ll have to play much better if I want to win that match, more aggressively.

“It will help having one more match under my belt.”

It was also Murray’s first experience with a serve clock, which will be used at the US Open this year, and he has given it his endorsement.

“Without a shot clock, that would have been a three-hour match,” Murray said. “It’s a positive change for tennis.”

Andy Murray

Latest