“It’s been good so far, I feel fresh” Andy Murray all set to play in Abu Dhabi, sets eyes on 2022 season


“It’s been good so far, I feel fresh” Andy Murray all set to play in Abu Dhabi, sets eyes on 2022 season

Andy Murray

Currently the World No. 134 on the ATP Tour, Andy Murray will be back in competitive tennis when he takes the court at the upcoming 3-day exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi, the 2021 Mubadala World Tennis Championship. Murray remains the youngest champion of the tournament when he won the tournament at the age of 21y, 7m, 23d in 2009, his first title of the competition.

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Murray last played on the Tour at the 2021 Stockholm Open where he lost in the quarter-finals to eventual champion Tommy Paul in 3-sets. It was Murray’s joint best finish of the season on the ATP Tour having previously reached the last-8 in the event at Metz where he was defeated by eventual champion Hubert Hurkacz. Murray could have made the team for the 2021 Davis Cup Finals but chose not to for more rest.

With Murray planning to improve his rank in the coming season so as to avoid higher-ranked players in the early round who are able to knock him out, Murray is preparing well for the next season. In preparation for the season, Murray accepted the invitation to play in Abu Dhabi from where he is likely to travel to Australia as the season begins Down Under in the first week.

“It was good. I obviously didn’t play the Davis Cup so I had two extra weeks and started a little earlier than most of the players who were in it. I’m going to Abu Dhabi on Sunday for a week to participate in the tournament, but also to train outside a few days earlier. I’ve obviously only trained indoors here, but it’s been good so far, I’ve done a good job and feel relatively fresh,” said Murray as reported by WeloveTennis.fr.

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This will be Andy Murray’s first tournament without coach Jamie Delgado since 2016

Andy Murray
Andy Murray

Murray recently announced his split with longtime coach Jamie Delgado who was working with Murray, first as an assistant to Ivan Lendl, and then as the head coach since 2017 after Lendl quit the Murray camp for the second time. Delgado saw Murray win his 2nd Wimbledon title in 2016, claim the 2016 ATP Finals and also finish the year as the World No. 1 for the first time.

With Jamie now not in the camp having joined forces with Denis Shapovalov, Murray has made a temporary arrangement with German coach Jan De Witt for the tournament in Abu Dhabi and a subsequent decision will be taken over the partnership.

Also Read: ‘I really hope he gets there,’ Andy Murray on the uncertainty regarding Novak Djokovic’s participation at Australian Open 2022