"I can still compete with the best" - says Murray ahead of return at Queen's Club

Andy Murray will play at the cinch Championships at Queen's Club for the first time since the Rome Master's and he still believes he can take on the best.

Andy Murray last played in the doubles draw of the Rome Master's and after experiencing some discomfort he skipped Roland Garros to focus on the grass season. His first test will come at the Queen's Club event and ahead of its start he said:

“I know I can still compete with the best players in the world. I have been doing it consistently in practice over these past six months and certainly, on the grass, I don’t see why not.”

Murray who is still working his way back to top form after his many surgeries only played two ATP tour-level events in 2021. Murray was self-aware in saying the biggest question is whether his body can hold up:

“The question mark is obviously whether the body holds up. I can’t say with any great certainty right now if that is going to happen, as I have been feeling good at different points throughout the past nine months, practised really well and felt good going into tournaments, and then something has happened, like in Miami. I hope I will be because I have seen enough in practice [to suggest] that my tennis is fine and in a good place. But physically, I need to hold up while playing matches.”

Murray's decision to continue with tennis was questioned by many but he once again reiterated his commitment by saying:

“The reason why I’m still playing is because I love playing tennis. I spoke to a number of my ex-coaches who were players, and I asked them about when they finished playing and what it was like at the end of their careers. Unanimously, they [all said] it was extremely difficult to stop playing and our advice would be to play as long as you can.”