"I have a very strong self-belief": Murray set for best-of-five action
The US Open marks the three-time Grand Slam champion's first best-of-five competition since January 2019.
It won't be Andy Murray's first US Open, but it'll be his first since hip surgery, and the first time he's dived into best-of-five sets since starting his comeback more than a year ago.
Having reached the third round of the Western and Southern Open with two three-set wins, Murray is more confident about holding up physically when he returns to Grand Slam play next week.
"I was pushing it hard especially the beginning of the match, and then once the sun went down, it was actually fine," Murray told press following his win against Alexander Zverev in the second round of the relocated Cincinnati event.
"I think I would have got through a five-setter. I think I would have done it. Would have been tough, for sure, and there would have been moments, if I went down in the fourth set, I would have thought about conserving energy and stuff."
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But just being back at this level is a victory for Murray, who won the 2019 title in Antwerp following hip resurfacing surgery towards the beginning of the season. No other player has returned to top singles competition upon having the procedure, which involves metal implanted into the hip. The 33-year-old was also recently been sidelined with a pelvic injury.
The three-time Grand Slam champion hopes that determination and competitiveness also helps him as he starts playing the best players at the bigger events again.
"You know, that's one of the things that I would have learned, I guess, by looking back at my matches is that I found ways to win against good players when I have maybe not necessarily been playing my best tennis. You know, that's something that's helped me my whole career," he said.
"If you're watching me on the court and you're watching from the stands, like you might think that, you know, I get really down on myself.
"But I think inside me I have a very, very strong self-belief, and know that I can win matches like that."
Murray currently sits at No. 134 in the ATP rankings.
