Murray discusses retirement after beating Shapovalov in Dubai
Andy Murray has hinted he could retire in the “next few months” after winning his first match in Dubai on Monday.
The former world number one came back from a set down to beat Denis Shapovalov (4-6, 7-6(5), 6-3) and reach the second round.
The 36-year-old, who ended a six-match losing streak in Doha last week before being knocked out by young Czech Jakub Mensik, told the BBC last December that 2024 could be his last year on the ATP circuit.
“I probably don’t have much time left, but I’ll do my best over the last few months,” Andy Murray said on Monday. I still love competing and I still love the game. Obviously it’s harder and harder as you get older to compete with the young guys and keep your body fit and fresh.
Murray appeared to tell his group of players during his loss to Mensik last week that “this game is not for me anymore,” but he downplayed those comments. “People sometimes interpret a lot of what I say on the court and it’s not always rational,” he added. “But anyway, everyone asks me about it all the time.”
Murray won his 500th victory on hard court, joining Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andre Agassi and Rafael Nadal. “Yeah, it’s not bad. Hard courts have been a great surface for me over the years…I’m very proud of it.”
Murray struggled to contain the power of Shapovalov, a former Top 10 player, who is looking for his best form after missing the end of last season through injury.
But the three-time Grand Slam winner won in the tie-break of the second set before winning in the deciding game thanks to a double-break.
Murray will face either Gaël Monfils or Ugo Humbert in the round of 16.
The Briton has not reached the quarter-finals of an ATP tournament since losing in the final to Daniil Medvedev in Qatar more than a year ago.
Murray fell 17 places in the ATP rankings earlier on Monday, falling to 67th place.
2024-02-26 19:06:34
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