Impressive start🫡 @andy_murray claims the opener 6-4 against Karatsev! @ZhuhaiChampions | #ZhuhaiChampionships
Former world number one Andy Murray has admitted that he is struggling to perform the way he would’ve liked after a disappointing 2023.
The 36-year-old suffered a defeat in the second round of the Zhuhai Championships to Russia’s Aslan Karatsev with a score of 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
That result was not an anomaly as Murray had a rather below-par outing throughout the year.
The former world number one participated in three out of the four Grand Slams this year but could not qualify for the fourth round or beyond in any of the mega-event.
Murray, who is a three-time Grand Slam winner, was recently quoted in a report where he admitted that it is getting tougher for him to deliver the results on the court.
“It’s obviously disappointing to not play how you would like,” he said. “Maybe I need to accept that, these events, I had the deep runs and everything that I felt like I’m capable of, they might not be there, as well. I’m aware what I’m doing, it’s unbelievably challenging to play at the highest level as I am now. And some days it’s harder than others.
“Ultimately these (Grand Slams) are the events that you want to play your best tennis in and create more great moments, and I didn’t do that this year. I still enjoy everything that goes into playing at a high level. I enjoy the work. The training and trying to improve and trying to get better, I do still enjoy that and that’s what keeps me going.
“If things change and I stop enjoying that or my results, my ranking and everything, if I start to go backwards in that respect, in a few months’ time I was ranked 60 in the world or whatever instead of moving up the way, things might change.”
Impressive start🫡 @andy_murray claims the opener 6-4 against Karatsev! @ZhuhaiChampions | #ZhuhaiChampionships