Spanish king of clay Rafael Nadal has said he is ‘surprised’ to hear that Andy Murray plans to return to competitive tennis later this month in London.
The three-time grand slam champion has entered into the doubles draw at the Fever-Tree Championships alongside Spain’s Feliciano Lopez. It will be Murray’s first match since the Australian Open after undergoing hip resurfacing surgery in a bid to continue his career. Earlier this year, the 32-year-old admitted that he may be forced to retire from the sport due to persistent injury.
“I am really excited to return to the match court for the first time since my surgery,” said Murray. “Queen’s has always been a special place for me and it’s the perfect place to return. It’s where I won my first ATP match, my first title in Britain and on grass, and it’s been my most successful tournament overall. I’m not yet ready to return to the singles court, but I’ve been pain-free for a few months now. I’ve made good progress in training and on the practice court, and this is the next step for me as I try to return to the tour.”
Murray’s announcement is one that has caught 11-time French Open champion Nadal off guard. Who describes the upcoming comeback as ‘good for tennis.’ The Spaniard leads his rival 17-7 in their head-to-head. However, their last meeting was back in 2016 at the Madrid Open when Murray triumphed in straight sets on route to the final.
“Being honest for me, it is a little bit surprising that he has announced (his return), that quick.” Nadal told reporters in Paris on Tuesday.
“I always thought that he will find a way to try to be back, because still young and still very passionate about the game. I’m happy to see that he gonna play again.”
It was during the Australian Open where many feared that Murray would play his last match after an emotional press conference. Following his first round loss to Roberto Bautista Agut, a video was played in the Melbourne tennis stadium. Showing numerous players paying tribute to the British player. It was shortly after those tributes, that Murray vowed to do all he can to return.
“He was in that moment and it just hit him. I think after we realized he wasn’t sure (about retirement), we were all hoping he would come back.” Said 20-time grand slam champion Roger Federer.
“There is two ways to look at it. It’s number one for his health, and we want Andy to be healthy, more so than being a tennis player. But if he can play tennis on top of it, that’s a super bonus.
And I think all of us top guys would be thrilled to see him back on the tour.”
Two-time French Open finalist Alex Corretja has urged Murray to take his return slowly. The Spaniard was his coach for three years between 2008-2011. During their collaboration, Murray featured in three grand slam finals and won six Masters 1000 titles.
“In my opinion, he needs to take it slowly, but he is the one that knows his body of course.” Corretja told Eurosport.
“He is back this quickly because he is very strong physically. He’s been working so hard for the last 15 years and that’s why now he’s able to come back sooner than expected.’
“The dedication he has for his conditioning is amazing – he spends hours and hours looking after his body. It’s unbelievable news and I’m very happy for him, for his fans and for the game of tennis.”
The Fever-Tree Championships in London will get underway on June 17th.
