Andy Murray continues his comeback from hip surgery as he targets the Citi Open in Washington as his return to competition.
Murray said he will spend the next couple of weeks practising on hard courts in the United Kingdom before he heads to either Washington or Miami ahead of the City Open which begins on July 30th.
“As soon as I got on the hard courts, I felt better due to the stability of the surface,” Murray said (h/t ESPN). “On grass you are worried about every step you take. On the hard courts I felt more comfortable.” He added the hard court helps movement and frees up his hip, saying, “The impact on the hard courts is greater than the grass, but I feel it’ll be positive for me.”
Murray also believes that the conditions are perfectly suited for a charge from Rafael Nadal, adding that Novak Djokovic has also impressed him.
“I think Novak could beat both of them, whether it happens or not, I don’t know but he’s playing really well,” Murray said. “Like the Serena [Williams] situation, he hasn’t been in the latter stages of the major events recently, but in terms of his level and the way he’s playing, he’s back to where he wants to be. Mentally he looks like he’s where he needs to be, he’s fired up, motivated and he’s got a great shot [of winning the tournament].”
“He [Djokovic] said the mental side has been difficult for him. Maybe he suffered from a slight dip in motivation, which is completely understandable after winning all four Slams, it takes an incredible amount out of you. It looks like he’s back to where he wants to be. It wouldn’t surprise me if he went on to win the tournament.”