Murray fit for Wimbledon defense
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E-mail Shanghai Daily, July 3, 2017
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Coach Andre Agassi watches Serbia's Novak Djokovic during a practice session at the All England Tennis Club in London, yesterday, on the eve of the start of the Wimbledon Championships. |
Andy Murray will begin his Wimbledon title defense today after confirming his recovery from a hip injury that has disrupted his preparation for this year's tournament.
"It's felt much better the last few days," the world No. 1 told a media conference yesterday.
"If I feel like I do today, I'll be fine to play the tournament. I'll be fine to play seven matches."
Murray, who will play Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik, a lucky loser ranked 134, in the Centre Court opener today, said he felt no lasting effects from the injury which caused him to pull out of two exhibition matches at London's Hurlingham Club last week.
"I've had hip problems since I was very young," said the Scot, adding he had benefited from several days' rest. "It's not something new to me. It's just been very sore the last few weeks.
"It was giving me quite a lot of trouble moving to certain shots and getting into certain positions. This is an extremely important tournament, so you worry a little bit. It's a little bit stressful if you can't practise for a few days."
Murray confirmed media reports that he and his wife Kim are expecting their second child, but said it would not distract him in his title defense.
"We're both obviously very happy and looking forward to it," he said. "I've had family the whole time I've been playing tennis, so yeah, I'll be fine dealing with that. It's certainly not a distraction in the slightest."
Murray, who has won Wimbledon twice in the past four years and reached at least the quarterfinals every year since 2008, is attempting to successfully defend a grand slam title for the first time.
"Hopefully I'm able to deal with things better this time round," said Murray, 30, who won his first grand slam title at the US Open in 2012.
"Once you get out there, I don't feel like I'm coming in trying to defend something. I'm going out there trying to win Wimbledon again. I want to try to win the competition."
Meanwhile, when Novak Djokovic walked into Wimbledon a year ago, he possessed all four Grand Slam trophies.
Tomorrow, he'll return empty-handed.
A third-round defeat to Sam Querrey last year at the All England Club was the stunning start of a prolonged slump, a slump which Djokovic hopes he is finally on the way to ending after winning his second title of the year in Eastbourne on Saturday.
Djokovic won the Eastbourne International beating Gael Monfils 6-3, 6-4 in the final, his first title since January and his third in a year.
"It's been a while now that I have been trying to find my best game and kind of consistency," he said. "It hasn't been the case for me in the last 12 months to win many big tournaments.
"In order to, in a way, reach the next peak, you need to have a little drop, because, you know, that's how life kind of circulates around, as waves going up and down."
His philosophical ponderings have become more familiar than the grit and intensity that saw him win six of the eight major titles available over a two-year period beginning at 2014 Wimbledon.
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal appeared to have been pushed to the brink of retirement, and Murray to despair, having so often been Djokovic's prey in finals.
Yet, the other three members of the Big Four, plus Stan Wawrinka, have each added a Grand Slam title in the past year, while Djokovic has been trying to work out what's gone wrong.
To that end, he jettisoned coach Boris Becker in December, and long-time members of his support team in May.
Another "super coach" in Andre Agassi was hired just before the French Open, where Djokovic faltered in the quarterfinals. He's added former world No. 7 Mario Ancic to his team.
Neither was in Eastbourne, but Agassi followed Djokovic's progress closely on television, and met up with him in London yesterday.
"He (Agassi) has noticed that my game has kind of raised the level and quality of tennis, is going in the right direction every match, and the competitive spirit and fighting spirit was there," Djokovic said.
The three-time Wimbledon winner opens his account this as the second seed, against Martin Klizan of Slovakia.
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