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When Andy Murray was on his tough journey to becoming a great tennis player 14 years ago, he faced off against Marin Cilic in the Australian Open semi-finals. Despite Murray being 22 years old at the time, Cilic was even younger and less skilled. Despite Cilic starting off strong, Murray calmly caught up and eventually secured a spot in the final, marking the first of his five appearances in the Melbourne final within a span of seven years.
On Wednesday, at the Kooyong Classic in the outskirts of the city, the two players renewed their longstanding competition in a less high-stakes setting. With ages of 36 and 35 and both having won grand slam titles, they are now in the final stages of their careers and fighting to stay in the game. While Murray battles against the challenges of his hip injuries, Cilic is making a comeback after undergoing knee surgery in January.
The match between Cilic and Murray at Kooyong, which took place at the impressive club that was once the site of the Australian Open, concluded with a 6-3, 7-5 win for Cilic. His consistent serving and aggressive play from the baseline ultimately led to his victory. Two weak service games from Murray, one in each set, ultimately cost him the match.
Murray casually shrugged in response to the outcome while they continued their preparations. He stated, “It was decent. My serving wasn’t great in the beginning of the match, but I improved as it went on and had a few opportunities in the second set. Unfortunately, I didn’t capitalize on them, but it’s always beneficial to get some match experience. It’s a different dynamic than playing practice sets.”
Murray’s upcoming matches in the first months of the season hold great importance for him, especially after his disappointing finish in 2023. In his last match of the season, he was leading Alex de Minaur 5-2 in the third set at the Paris Masters and even had a match point on his serve. However, he ended up losing the match and finished the season with a record of five defeats in his last six matches. Murray openly acknowledged that he was not finding joy in his performances.
However, it should be acknowledged that Murray promptly replied. This off-season has been challenging for the Scottish player, as he dealt with a shoulder injury that caused him to withdraw from the Davis Cup Final 8, as well as a knee injury and illness prior to his training in Dubai in December.
Murray consistently showed dedication to his daily training routine. He was always present at the National Tennis Centre, actively seeking ways to enhance his skills. In particular, he recognized that his first serve needed improvement, as it did not provide him with enough opportunities for easy points and follow-up shots. Despite facing physical limitations that prevented him from training at maximum intensity during the off-season, he put in considerable effort to find effective solutions.
“I have always excelled in those scenarios,” he said about struggling to finish matches last year. “Throughout my career, closing out matches has never been a problem for me. However, last year my serving was not up to par which led to longer rallies and not feeling as confident on the court.”
I hope that by serving better and feeling more confident in my game, I can succeed when I find myself in those situations.
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Murray’s situation is straightforward. If he continues to improve his game, he will likely stay motivated to push himself to his limits. However, if his performance in 2023 is similar to his previous form, doubts about his future and the longevity of his career will arise. As he approaches the potential of participating in one last Olympic Games this year, the upcoming year of 2024 presents a chance for the two-time gold medalist to move on. Despite this, he presently maintains a positive outlook and believes that this will not be necessary.
“He expressed his desire to perform better this year compared to last year. He acknowledged that he did not play well and lost several matches that he could have won. However, he has made improvements during the off-season and is determined to showcase them during matches. Despite struggling against opponents such as De Minaur, Fritz, and Tsitsipas in the past, he believes that with these improvements and feeling more confident on the court, he will be able to compete against top players.”
Jack Draper had a successful beginning to the year by overcoming a tough challenge from Miomir Kecmanovic in Adelaide. He saved two match points and defeated the Serbian player 5-7, 7-6 (11), 7-6 (7) to advance to the quarter-finals.
Source: theguardian.com
