Andy Murray fires defiant message following defeat at Vienna Open

Andy Murray says he's in the 'bad books' after losing ring

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

Andy Murray is not giving up after suffering another early exit from a tournament in Vienna. The former world No 1’s comeback has been gaining momentum in recent weeks, but he lost out to Carlos Alcaraz in the second-round of the Erste Bank Open – his third consecutive tournament losing before the quarter-finals.

Murray is still continuing his return to the top level of tennis after undergoing a hip resurfacing surgery in 2019.

The 34-year-old has had a stop-start few seasons, being unable to play the Australian Open in 2020 because of a pelvic injury, and again this year after testing positive for Covid and being “unable to find a workable quarantine period”.

He also struggled with a groin injury earlier this year, and withdrew from a tournament after the birth of his fourth child, making his proper return on the grass courts in summer.

Murray has since started to look something like his old self on court, but has found himself running into top young players early on in tournaments and suffering early exits.

JUST IN: Emma Raducanu opens up on pressure and ‘having a target on her back’

The current world No 156 lost to the likes of Miami Open champion Hubert Hurkacz, top 50 player Frances Tiafoe, and world Nos 3 and 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev in recent months.

Proving he was continuing to get better with each tournament, Murray got revenge over Tiafoe in Antwerp last week, before finally beating Hurkacz in their third meeting in just over two months on Monday (October 25) in Vienna.

However, it was a reversal of fortune in the second round, as the Brit lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the Erste Bank Open second-round on Wednesday night (October 27), just weeks after beating the Spanish teenager in Indian Wells.

It was the second week in a row that Murray crashed out of a tournament in the second-round, but the 46-time title winner sounded defiant despite losing in straight sets to the world No 42.

DON’T MISS
Raducanu’s next Transylvania Open opponent calls her true inspiration
Australian Open row erupts as Novak Djokovic sweats on potential ban
Zverev sets record straight on relationship with Tsitsipas after feud

“I’m not going to keep losing in the second and third round of tournaments,” the 34-year-old declared, following his loss to Alcaraz.

“I will get better and I will improve and I will break through in one week, or two weeks, or a few months.”

Murray has been looking like he is getting increasingly close to a breakthrough moment in his comeback, improving his level week-on-week, and proving he can recover from previous losses against some of the tour’s rising stars, beating them weeks after suffering defeat.

He added: “It will happen. I obviously would like it to be happening quicker than what it is.”

Crediting his opponent, who he had declared as one of the hard-hitters on tour, Murray sounded confident he would make it to the latter stages of tournaments if he continued to improve.

“But he did play extremely well and he’s a top young player and if you’re hitting single-digit unforced errors playing that way and with the power that he has it’s going to be tough,” he said of his loss to the 18-year-old.

“If I continue on that path and build up a little bit more consistency, be that little bit more clinical and a bit more ruthless I will start winning more and have some deep runs, but it’s tough.

“Draws have been hard, I’ve played in some tough tournaments. The draw was stacked here [in Vienna]. There were no easy matches here. It will happen sooner rather than later I think.”
Source: Read Full Article