By Richard Pagliaro| @Tennis_Now | Thursday, January 11, 2024 Andy Murray has prevailed as a wounded warrior on the Australian Open.
The ornery Murray has additionally created his justifiable share of self-inflicted wounds.
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5-time Australian Open finalist Murray has typically opted to vent his frustration pounding his hand off his racquet face like a boxer working over the velocity bag.
Today, Murray goals to undertake a brand new angle for the brand new yr.
Slightly than beating himself up, the two-time Olympic gold-medal champion aspires to be kinder to himself.
Realistically, do not count on a mirthful Murray on the Pleased Slam, however he hopes to be a extra optimistic presence.
“No, I will not be on the market laughing on the court docket. That will not be taking place,” Murray informed the media in Melbourne. “Yeah, it is extra about the way you’re coping with frustration and disappointment and every part if you’re enjoying.
“I do not see Novak on the market when he is enjoying his matches laughing and joking round. I by no means noticed that with Roger and Rafa. It is not about that.
“It is most likely the way you’re treating your self in these moments and being a bit kinder to your self, the individuals round you, decreasing a few of your personal expectations, controlling what you’ll be able to management.”
A yr in the past an impressed Murray performed Melbourne miracle maker. Murray outlasted Matteo Berrettini in a 4 hour and 49-minute thriller in his 2023 AO opener combating by to a 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-7(7), 7-6(10-6) triumph for his first High-20 win at a Slam since 2017.
Dealing with a dire two-set deficit in spherical two, Murray roared again to ship a comeback for the ages on Margaret Court docket Enviornment.
Displaying fierce urge for food for the battle, Murray staged his second straight five-set stand conquering Australian Open doubles champion Thanasi Kokkinakis 4-6, 6-7(4), 7-6(5), 6-3, 7-5 in an epic 5 hour, 45 minute victory.
Regardless of these heroics, Murray felt because the 2023 season progressed his frustration typically damage him in strain moments.
This yr Murray, who opens the 2024 AO marketing campaign in opposition to Thirtieth-seeded Tomas Martin Etcheverry, says he hopes to reset faster on court docket after irritating factors.
“All the gamers will sit in right here and say precisely the identical factor. It is simply not that simple to do it if you’re on the market competing,” Murray stated. “That is the exhausting half, yeah, simply to deal with the subsequent shot, the subsequent level. It is a very simple factor to say. Everyone knows it. However doing it’s troublesome.
“Yeah, once I was youthful, I clearly at all times bought pissed off on the court docket, however I at all times felt like within the actually essential moments, I used to be at all times competing very properly. Final yr was getting pissed off, was not competing properly within the essential moments. That is one thing that I hope to vary this yr.”
Picture credit score: Clive Brunskill/Getty
