How Andy Murray got over Wimbledon exit and prepared for US Open campaign
Andy Murray has revealed that he used his summer holiday to come to terms with a disappointing Wimbledon exit and identify where he should improve for the US Open.
The Briton was 2-1 up and on his way to a famous win over Stefanos Tsitsipas when SW19 chiefs called time for the night, only to be swept aside by the fifth seed when the second-round match resumed the following day.
Since then Murray has had time to reflect on his performance and make changes for the US Open, where he begins his campaign against Frenchman Conrentin Moutet on Tuesday.
“I went away on holiday straight afterwards. Always immediately after matches, especially Wimbledon, at majors there’s greater disappointment and greater emotions than at any other time in the year,” he said.
“After three or four days of being away from it, I chatted to my team about things that I feel I need to change, certain shots in my game if I wanted to win more of those matches and dictate more of those matches. So I did that, went away and worked on things for a period of time.”
The 36-year-old has the chance to put those lessons into practice in his first ever meeting with world No72 Moutet, who has not won a match in the main draw of a hard-court since Wimbledon.
Murray, on the other hand, reached the third round of the Canadian Open earlier this month, only to suffer an abdominal injury that threatened to keep him away from Flushing Meadows, where he won his first Grand Slam in 2012.
“I’ve not played against him but I practised with him once. He’s an unbelievably talented guy,” the Scot said of Moutet. “He’s not the biggest, he tends to play quite long points but he’s got tons of variety and good hands at the net.
“He can be a bit volatile at times but [is] a good challenge for me, very different to how most players play in the draw. A lot of the game nowadays is based on power and serves and he’s the opposite really. A good test for me.”
Five other Britons play their US Open first-round matches on Tuesday: Cameron Norrie, Dan Evans, Jack Draper, Katie Boulter and Jodie Burrage.