Andy Murray defying team’s expectations with ‘outrageous’ preparation ahead of US Open | Tennis | Sport
Laura Robson has explained just how impressive Andy Murray’s return from hip surgery has been as the former world No 1 gears up for the US Open. He recently returned to his highest ranking post-op at No 36 and has picked up three Challenger titles this year, also reaching an ATP final in Doha. With Murray now bidding to translate his success to the Majors and do well in New York, Robson admitted that his team never expected him to return to this level.
Murray is hoping to have a deep run at a Grand Slam, with the US Open his last chance to do so in 2023. The world No 37 has already had an impressive season that started when he won back-to-back five-set epics at the Australian Open though he failed to get past the third round, falling short of his dream of making the second week.
While the 36-year-old has been tough on himself, his old doubles partner Robson said it was already a victory for Murray to be playing at this level with a metal joint in his hip. “I saw a quote from him where he’s basically like, ‘I need to keep putting things in perspective’ because it’s unreal that he’s even putting himself in a position to be seeded and he just missed out at Wimbledon then just missed out at the US Open,” she explained.
“I think it’s easy to get disheartened, but just the fact that he’s playing so many matches, playing pretty much a full schedule.” The former world No 27 also knew that Murray had already exceeded the expectations he previously had for his return from surgery.
She continued: “He’s beyond pumped with that and the rest of his team are actually beyond pumped with that because they never thought that it would happen. And so for, you know, Shano [Annun] and Matt Little and the others to see him back out there at almost the highest level, must feel so incredible of an achievement.
“Because, you know, even 18 months ago he was looking like he was struggling to walk between sessions and after long matches, he just looked, like it was a really unhealthy hip still. So yeah, I think, you know, to see where he’s come from over the last couple of years and where he is now is such a massive difference.”
With Murray now pain-free in the hip that troubled him for so long, Robson – who won Olympic silver with him at the London 2012 games – revealed that he had an “outrageous” schedule at tournaments to keep himself fit and competitive. “And I’ll say from being around him at tournaments no one gets to the site earlier in the day,” she added.
“Like, he could be fourth match on and he’s there for breakfast, preparing already. He’s physio bed, warm-up, physio bed, warm-up, you know, goes on court for half an hour hit, then back on the physio bed. It’s just outrageous the amount of preparation that goes into getting him 100 per cent ready to go on court for a match.
“And so just to go through all of that day in, day out takes it out of you and yeah, just the fact that he’s still so motivated is, I think, inspiring for everyone else.” Although Murray just missed out on a seeded spot at the US Open, he has a favourable first-round opponent in world No 71 Corentin Moutet.
The 2012 champion in Flushing Meadows could then face 19th seed Grigor Dimitrov and world No 12 Alexander Zverev if he does want to achieve his goal of making it into the second week.
The US Open returns exclusively to Sky Sports and NOW with feeds to all courts from 28th August.
