Andy Murray - To think that I would return to my best form would be naive

[Enceladus]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1175771736396058624

 

[Mainad]

Does he truly believe this or is he just trying to play down expectations and take pressure off himself? Let's hope it's the latter or.........what's the point???

 

[PistolPete23]

Does he truly believe this or is he just trying to play down expectations and take pressure off himself? Let's hope it's the latter or.........what's the point???

I think he's (re)discovered the joy of simply playing the game, and not necessarily competing for majors anymore. I don't think he's downplaying expectations; Murray has always been a straight-shooter and I think he spoke based on the real outlook of his situation. As long as he's at peace with himself and is happy finding success in doubles, good for him!

 

[PistolPete23]

"Tennis has always been a huge part of my life, but I realised that actually my health was the most important thing for a happy life and I had always been worried about what life might look like after tennis, but now I'm not worried.

"I had a glimpse these last few months and it was brilliant - hanging out with friends and family, and it was great. "

Happy for him!

 

[Zara]

Does he truly believe this or is he just trying to play down expectations and take pressure off himself? Let's hope it's the latter or.........what's the point???

Murphy is trying to confuse us all. Let's hope for the best. Otherwise, what's the point, indeed.

Maybe he should just stay quiet and continue to make progress and see where that takes him.

He's just too emotional and will change his mind soon once he gets a few good win.

I am hopeful for him. If not, oh well...we've got nothing to lose here.

 

[big ted]

how could anyone be as good as they once were after 2 hip surgeries?

 

[PistolPete23]

It would be more interesting for me to see how he evolves to stay competitive rather than to see him return to his former self. When you lose athletic ability and can't chase down shots as before, you can compensate by playing a more cerebral game.

 

[UnderratedSlam]

Does he truly believe this or is he just trying to play down expectations and take pressure off himself? Let's hope it's the latter or.........what's the point???

Gave up in singles.

But...

He is preparing to climb the Mount Everest of tennis... no 1 in doubles.

 

[UnderratedSlam]

It would be more interesting to me to see how he evolves to stay competitive rather than to see him return to his former self. When you lose athletic ability and can't chase down shots as before, you can compensate by playing a more cerebral game.

He hasn´t got the confidence for it.

 

[DSH]

He should concentrate on doubles.
His career in singles is over.

 

[BeatlesFan]

His career in singles is over.

Andy merely said he probably won't ever get back to his "very best," and that form won him 3 majors and got him to the #1 ranking. If he got back to 85% of his peak form, that's still top 20 material, easily.

 

[Legend of Borg]

with the loss of mobility does this mean he's actually gonna go for winners on both wings now and play with authority?

i don't think he's got what it takes but maybe he'll prove me wrong

 

[DSH]

Andy merely said he probably won't ever get back to his "very best," and that form won him 3 majors and got him to the #1 ranking. If he got back to 85% of his peak form, that's still top 20 material, easily.

The same was also said of Kuerten and the Brazilian was younger when he had that hip injury.
Hewitt, Nalbandian and Becker also suffered the same and we know how they finished their tennis careers.

 

[UnderratedSlam]

with the loss of mobility does this mean he's actually gonna go for winners on both wings now and play with authority?

i don't think he's got what it takes but maybe he'll prove me wrong

He always needed a long time to get his confidence, but now he´s starting from scratch bth mentally and physically and he´s 32, so I very much doubt he will ever win anything significant again. Not even sure if he can win a 500 again. He doesn´t have the tenacity of Rafa or Novak, and certainly a hip injury is a very serious thing.

 

[GoldenMasters]

This attitude is the main reason why he never will come back to his best form..

 

[blablavla]

The same was also said of Kuerten and the Brazilian was younger when he had that hip injury.
Hewitt, Nalbandian and Becker also suffered the same and we know how they finished their tennis careers.

except that there was a huge progress in medicine since then.

 

[Yugram]

This attitude is the main reason why he never will come back to his best form..

I thought titan hip was a bit more significant reason. You know, just a little bit..

 

[GoldenMasters]

I thought titan hip was a bit more significant reason. You know, just a little bit..

Yes I stand corrected. That's the main reason, but the one I mentioned is the next biggest reason..

 

[MichaelNadal]

Does he truly believe this or is he just trying to play down expectations and take pressure off himself? Let's hope it's the latter or.........what's the point???

Well even 100% Murray was always a third wheel

 

[Yugram]

Well even 100% Murray was always a third wheel

Someone else already has this title cemented to his name

 

[sredna42]

Andy merely said he probably won't ever get back to his "very best," and that form won him 3 majors and got him to the #1 ranking. If he got back to 85% of his peak form, that's still top 20 material, easily.

It's not going to happen. Did you see his movement? I was wincing just watching him awkwardly walking between points. He had an awesome career in singles he has nothing left to prove, i hope he sticks to dubs, as he'll just hurt himself again in singles and will look bad getting drubbed by mugs

 

[MichaelNadal]

Someone else already has this title cemented to his name

Imhotep?

 

[bjsnider]

If his hip works better then it used to, I don't know why he couldn't be better than he was.

 

[SavvyStringer]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1175771736396058624

Play dubs with his brother and win some titles. Guys like Murray that can hit into small windows are deadly in doubles.

 

[el sergento]

with the loss of mobility does this mean he's actually gonna go for winners on both wings now and play with authority?

Hard to do with that lollipop second serve of his. Also, every highlight I’ve seen since his return is more of the same grinding style.

Very difficult to change ingrained/inborn personality traits.

 

[BeatlesFan]

Hewitt, Nalbandian and Becker also suffered the same and we know how they finished their tennis careers.

@DSH Becker had no hip issues during his playing career. He had hip replacement surgeries in 2014, when he'd been retired 15 years.

 

[BeatlesFan]

It's not going to happen. Did you see his movement? I was wincing just watching him awkwardly walking between points.

Yes, Andy's movement is really compromised, no question about it. But Lendl said during the USO that it's a "confidence issue" and after a long Miami training block this Nov-Dec, he will be much improved. Maybe Lendl is misinformed or that's pie in the sky. I sure hope not.

 

[Zardoz7/12]

If Murray is playing for his love of tennis in the knowledge that he may never regain the form which brought him to the top of the mountain then so be it. Us Murray fans should be thankful for small mercies, he's playing and he beat an annoying opponent in Tennys Sandgren who only last year reached the Quarter Finals of a slam.

 

[DSH]

Murray and Nieminen should play together.
They are both Finnish players!

 

[Zara]

If Murray is playing for his love of tennis in the knowledge that he may never regain the form which brought him to the top of the mountain then so be it. Us Murray fans should be thankful for small mercies, he's playing and he beat an annoying opponent in Tennys Sandgren who only last year reached the Quarter Finals of a slam.

But @Mainad and I aren’t happy. We want him to either play in full force and win 2 more Slams or just retire and not keep us dangling from the tree of hope.

Yes, I am going down with this and taking Mainad with me.

 

[Tshooter]

Six Million Dollars doesn’t go as far as it used to.

 

[MichaelNadal]

Six Million Dollars doesn’t go as far as it used to.

I'll show yall what I can do with 6 million

 

[trownjeff]

Does he truly believe this or is he just trying to play down expectations and take pressure off himself? Let's hope it's the latter or.........what's the point???

Who knows. Wawrinka hasn't returned to the level to contender to win slams but he still enjoys playing tennis. Murray might be the same way.

 

[King No1e]

mury goat

 

[Poisoned Slice]

No doubt.

 

[big ted]

I'm actually not sure why he doesn't change his game...so many players have over the years, esp when they hit their 30s... Agassi, Connors, Federer, etc... they do what they need to do to survive.. why he doesn't get more aggressive & develop a bigger serve is a mystery to me..
even Nadal tinkers with his serve/game.. Murray has great feel & hands he could play like an all-court McEnroe and even be exciting to watch Lol

 

[GrassCourtFan]

I'm actually not sure why he doesn't change his game...so many players have over the years, esp when they hit their 30s... Agassi, Connors, Federer, etc... they do what they need to do to survive.. why he doesn't get more aggressive & develop a bigger serve is a mystery to me..
even Nadal tinkers with his serve/game.. Murray has great feel & hands he could play like an all-court McEnroe and even be exciting to watch Lol

So a few generations ago, I remember an interview with Fabrice Santoro. He was asked what it was like to play a finesse game when everyone around him just hit the ball as hard as they could. To which he replied "I also hit the ball as hard as I can, I just can't hit it very hard".

IMO the same thing applies to Murray. He DOES hit the ball as hard as he can. He cracks backhands, and has over the course of his career added a lot of pace to his serve and his forehand. He tries to play aggressive, take control of points - but he just doesn't have the spin on his forehand that Federer/Rafa/Novak do, and so that means he can't get the easy power that they do, and so he can't dominate that way.