Three-time grand slam champion Andy Murray has blasted officials at the Citi Open over the scheduling of matches after his third round meeting with Marius Copril didn’t end until after 3am.
Poor weather meant Thursday’s order of play didn’t get underway until the evening in Washington. Leaving Murray waiting until almost midnight to play his match, which lasted more than three hours. A situation the former world No.1 heavily criticised following his win.
“Finishing matches at 3 in the morning is not good. It’s not good for the players. It’s not good for anyone, I don’t think, involved in the event. It’s not good for fans, TV. Nobody.” The Associated Press quoted Murray as saying.
Continuing his criticism, the 31-year-old feels that he will be at a disadvantage going into his quarter-final meeting with Alex de Minaur. The Brit is currently playing in his third tournament since returning to the tour from a hip injury. Earlier in the week he defeated MacKenzie McDonald and Kyle Edmund prior to Copril. All of those matches have gone to three sets.
“It doesn’t feel great, just now.” Murray replied when asked about his current physical condition.
“I don’t know how you are expected to recover from that. By the time you’re done with all your recovery and stuff, it’s going to be 5:30, 6 o’clock in the morning. I’d obviously try and sleep as late as I can, but with the way your body clock is and stuff, you know, you might get a few hours’ sleep. It’s not good. And it’s basically like playing two matches in a day.”
During a group session with reporters after his match, the Brit admitted that he ‘potentially’ might consider withdrawing from the tournament. Citing fitness levels as a concern. Murray began his comeback in June after spending almost a year sidelined from the tour. In January, he underwent hip surgery.
“I’m giving my view right now as someone who’s just come back from a very, very long injury layoff. I don’t think I should be put in a position like that, when you’re expected to come out and perform the next day. I don’t think it’s reasonable,” Murray explained.
“And I’m disappointed with that, because I know that the weather’s tricky and I know it is for the scheduling, but it’s a very difficult position to be in.”
Murray started this week ranked 832nd in the world. As a result of his latest win, he is set to return back into the world’s top 400 at roughly 374th in the world.
Should he play, Murray will take on de Minaur in the final match on Friday at the Citi Open. The event could once again be hampered by poor weather with scattered thunderstorms forecasted.
