Andy Murray returned to the Surbiton Trophy this week, a challenger event he has not played at since he was 17-years-old. He is foreshadowing a successful run for Wimbledon this year with a 6-2, 6-1 win over world No 125 Jurij Rodionov.
Murray is the only British player to have won three major singles titles in the last 45 years. The 35-year-old has won three Grand Slam single titles, two at Wimbledon (2013 and 2016) and one at the US Open (2012), he has also reached eleven major finals. In 2016, he was ranked world No 1 by the Association of Tennis Professionals for 41 weeks.
The Glasgow-born currently ranks 67th in the world, that is pretty outstanding considering the tennis player's career was nearly over in 2019. Murray began experiencing serious hip problems in 2017 and underwent two major surgeries. The recovery process meant he lacked form and fitness.
Read more: Could this be the year Andy Murray roars back into the big time?
But it was Murray's passion for the sport which helped him return to the tennis court swiftly. He hinted at a full recovery when he defeated Stan Wawrinka in Antwerp in late 2019, which won him his first ATP Tour title since undergoing surgery. His recent performance on the court showed no signs of his past injury.
“I have high expectations for myself and I have lofty goals,” he revealed after the Rodionov victory. “I’ve talked about them with my team but I won’t be sharing them here. There should be lots of expectation, though. Grass is my best surface, I feel strong and I will have prepared as best I can.”
Murray's next game will be in commuter belt Surrey this week, followed by Germany, before returning to the UK to take part in Queens. It might be another career-defining year for Murray.
