Andy Murray backed to reach 'second week' of the US Open

August 22, 2023

Andy Murray, ATP Tennis Players, British Tennis Players, Tennis News, US Open Tennis

Andy Murray backed to reach ‘second week’ of the US Open by former No.4

Andy Murray has been praised by former British No.1 Johanna Konta, who believes that the three-time major winner can reach the second week of a Grand Slam for the first time since hip surgery.

Murray reached his highest ranking in five years last week, after reaching the third round of the Canadian Open in Toronto.

However, there was some concern for the former No.1 after he was forced to withdraw from his third round match with eventual champion Jannik Sinner due to an abdominal injury.

You'll be back, @andy_murray ❤️
Updates from the National Bank Open in Toronto 👇
— LTA (@the_LTA) August 11, 2023

Murray also withdrew from the Cincinnati Masters, but Konta believes that he can challenge the best players in the world if fully fit.

“I think just seeing Murray back into a physical state where he is able to play the wants to play and therefore, like he said, challenge the best players in the world is I think the most you can ask of any player going into a Slam,” Konta told Express Sport. “If they’re physically fit and their level is starting to build and they’re looking just more consistent then that’s where they want to be.”

Konta continued, “And I think especially for us with Andy, seeing him be able to be Andy on court because it was always his physicality, his tenacity on court, he just absolutely wrangles his way through matches in such a tough way.

“So I think that he is in that space now to be able to do that and to do that successively in match after match, I don’t see why we wouldn’t see him potentially in the second week and then we’ll see what happens.”

Konta also commented on whether she thought Murray was more likely to reach the second week of a major or win a first ATP title since 2019.

“I mean that’s a bit like the chicken or the egg,” claimed the 32-year-old. “Whether it will be a title, a 250 or a 500 title to come before a second week appearance at a Slam again, who knows? But I think whenever as a player you get just a good run of tournaments, a good run of matches in those tournaments, making quarters, semis, finals. That builds and that will build into either making second week in a Slam or winning a title.”

With Murray likely to narrowly miss out on a seeded spot at the US Open, he will eagerly await the draw that takes place on Thursday.

Andy Murray at Grand Slams

With Konta backing Murray to ‘potentially’ reach the second week/fourth round of a major, we at Tennishead wanted to look back at the last time when he did just that:

Australian Open – Fourth Round (2017)

Roland Garros – Semi-final (2017)

Wimbledon – Quarter-final (2017)

US Open – Quarter-final (2016)

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