Paris: Britain’s Andy Murray, who has suffered a dip in form this year, said Thursday it had been hard at times for him to stay motivated since he became World No.1 last year.
Appearing at a promotional event here with French Olympic judo champion Teddy Riner, he praised Riner’s motivation to stay at the top for so long.
“I got to No.1 in the world at the end of last year and there’s been some times this year where it has been difficult to keep up the motivation and set new goals,” Murray stated.
The Scot said the last few months had been difficult and he had had some problems with his elbow early in the year.
“But over the last seven, eight years of my career I always wanted to perform my best and play my best tennis at the Grand Slams and that’s still the case now,” Murray asserted.
“I always feel extra motivation when I come to a Slam even if I have been playing badly. So hopefully, I will have a good tournament in Paris,” added Murray.
However, in response to a journalist’s question, he said it was far from being the most difficult period of his career.
“No, I am ranked No.1 in the world. I have been in worse positions than this. When I had my back surgery it was very difficult for me. There were times when I was younger when I was struggling a lot more than now,” Murray stated.
“The last few months have been difficult but I believe I will turn it around and I hope it starts here,” added the Scot, who has never won the French Open but did reach last year’s final where he lost to Djokovic in four sets.
With Murray turning 30 earlier this month, the top five male tennis players in the world are now at that age or over. Murray said he was ‘a little bit’ surprised that no younger players had broken through.
“I think last year a lot of people were maybe expecting that to start happening because Roger (Federer) and Rafa (Nadal) both had quite serious injuries last year but both of them have come back extremely well this year,” Murray pointed out.
“The way tennis has been going the last 10, 12 years or so, it has looked like players are starting to play better as they get older,” he added.
Injury problems may disrupt French Open
Stuttgart Open champion Laura Siegemund has sustained a right knee injury and will miss next week’s French Open, Germany’s Fed Cup captain Barbara Rittner has said. Siegemund was injured during her second round match against Barbora Krejcikova at the Nuremberg Cup.
“She won’t be able to play in Paris,” said Rittner, who suggested the 29-year-old had suffered ligament damage. “She will take a minimum of three weeks to completely recover. If everything goes well including rehabilitation, she may be ready for Wimbledon. That is what we are aiming for now,” Rittner added.
Former US Open men’s champion Juan Martin Del Potro is also a doubt for the French Open due to injuries. “I feel pain in the shoulder and back,” Del Potro told reporters Wednesday after losing in the second round of the Lyon Open. “I will go to Paris and I will take a decision soon about whether I play the French Open,” he added. Since making a comeback from a wrist surgery at the Rio Games, the Argentine has steadily improved in the ranking ladder to reach No. 30 from the No. 321 he had slipped to.
Meanwhile 2014 women’s finalist Simona Halep has also informed the organisers that she is a doubtful starter. Halep had her right ankle during the final against Elina Svitolina at the Rome Masters last week.
“I am keeping my fingers crossed for Roland Garros,” Halep wrote on her Instagram account. “MRI scans have shown that I have a torn ligament in my right ankle. It’s 50-50 at the moment… the good thing is since Sunday, the injury has shown good improvement.”
Rival’s injury help Wawrinka advance
Swiss tennis player and World No. 3 Stan Wawrinka needed only 37 minutes to reach the the quarterfinals of the Geneva Open after his rival, Brazilian Rogerio Dutra Silva retired with 5-2 on the scoreboard.
The Sao Paulo player suffered a massive fall Thursday in the 26th minute and had to be treated for a problem in his right ankle. He later decided not to continue.
Wawrinka will face American Sam Querrey in the quarterfinals. “I have come to the tournament to spend more minutes on clay. That did not happen… hopefully it happens in the next game,” Wawrinka stated.
Meanwhile Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga won a tough game against Argentina’s Carlos Berlocq to advance to the quarterfinals of the Lyon Open tennis tournament at Lyon. Tsonga achieved a 6-7(2-7), 6-2, 6-3 win Wednesday,
The Frenchman had another similar match in terms of toughness against Berlocq in the Davis Cup three years ago in Argentina, but achieved victory at the end.
In the quarterfinals, Tsonga will face Russian Karen Khachanov, who defeated Australian Jordan Thompson.
Agencies