Andy Murray rolled back the years with a couple of hard-fought wins in the 2023 Australian Open. The Brit was beaten in round three, but there were plenty of positives to take at Melbourne Park. The veteran will be looking to build on his performance in the opening Grand Slam of the year and rekindle his best form.
Dogged Display Down Under
At the start of a busy 2023 of tennis, 35-year-old Murray is set to have a good year if his performance at the Australian Open is anything to go by. Murray was beaten in the third round of the first Grand Slam, but there is still a lot to play for this year. For those looking to bet on tennis, you can currently get 66/1 for Murray to win the French Open. He could surprise a few and win a tournament or two this year.
Sunday sunsets. 🌇#AusOpen • #AO2023 pic.twitter.com/VKcQTYK7qs
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2023
Murray was an outsider pre-Australian Open, but he proved a lot of his doubters wrong with some solid displays in the early rounds. The Scot will be hoping to build on his Aussie display ahead of the next Grand Slam tournament, which will be the French Open at Roland Garros in May.
Scot Loses Out in Round Three
Murray had a tournament to remember in Melbourne in the first Grand Slam of the year. He started with a thrilling five-set victory over 13th seed Matteo Berrettini, booking a second-round match with Thanasi Kokkinakis.
Many questioned 35-year-old Murray’s fitness levels after years of injuries and setbacks, but he proved the doubters wrong in an incredible matchup with Kokkinakis. It turned out to be the longest match in Murray’s incredible career, lasting five hours and 45 minutes. He came through in the end on a tiebreak.
2 days ago I randomly bumped into the doctor who in 2017 told me “the good news is the problem you have in your hip can be fixed but you won’t be able to play professional sport again.” I think we dispelled that myth the last 5 days.😉Goodnight ❤️
— Andy Murray (@andy_murray) January 21, 2023
In the third round, Murray went up against 24th seed Roberto Bautista Agut, who is around the same age. Unfortunately for the Olympic gold medalist, Murray’s second-round match took its toll as he was beaten by the Spaniard three sets to one.
Time For Murray to Kick On?
After years of frustration and disappointments, we certainly saw glimpses of Murray’s world-class capabilities in Melbourne. The Scot has vowed to kick on and have a strong 2023, and a third-round exit in the first Grand Slam is not a bad way to start the year.
On his day, Murray can still mix it with the big boys. Roger Federer retired last year, while Djokovic and Rafael Nadal are also deep in their thirties. But the older generation, including Murray, is still capable of winning Grand Slams. The Brit put in three tireless displays in Australia, playing some fantastic tennis along the way.
The French Open is the next Slam on the 2023 calendar, and Murray will be hoping to be fit and firing on all cylinders before arriving in the French capital. He reached the final in Paris back in 2016 – how far can he go seven years on?