What will it take for Andy Murray to return to glory?

As a former world No. 1 with two Wimbledon titles, two Olympic gold medals in singles, and a U.S. Open victory, Andy Murray’s career has been a glittering one. With a record like that combined with a whole host of injury problems in his 30s, many would think that the time has come for Murray to exit the stage and hang up his racket. Withdrawal from Wimbledon in 2018 followed by hip surgery saw him plummet to 839th in the ATP rankings and he hasn’t shown the greatest signs of a significant recovery since.

Facing the latter stages of his career that would be plagued by injury and major surgery, an emotional Murray broke down before the 2019 Australian Open and hinted at retirement. Having played in only four Grand Slams since the start of 2018 and not really showing anything near his previous form, Murray currently languishes at 122nd in the rankings. That means he cannot gain direct entry into many tournaments, instead requiring wild cards.

Is it too early to write Murray off just yet, or should it be accepted that now is the time that he makes a gracious exit from the world of tennis? With his tenacity and true grit, it could still be worth a bet at the sportsbook at https://energycasino.com/en/  on Murray at least climbing the ranks again—but what will it take for him to return to glory?

Smashing the wildcard opportunities

If Murray wants to be a slam champion again, the only route right now is through wild-card entries. A severe lack of on-court time means that at present Murray is posing little threat to breaking into the top 50 let alone his former position as world No. 1. In current form, money would be better spent at https://energycasino.com/en/slots than betting on a return to the top 10 for the Scot. 

With the season due to resume next month, Murray had been given a wild card entry for the Australian Open. However, the 33-year-old tested positive Covid-19 and therefore could not fly to Melbourne in time for necessary pre-tournament quarantine. Thus he was forced to withdraw. Of course, it is unlikely that Murray’s absence will have any real impact on the event. Murray’s presence wouldn’t have been enough to cause any concern for any top opponents. He needs to come in fighting fit, win matches, and show that the Murray of old is back before guys like Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal are put on alert. A climb back up the rankings with some wins would at least give Murray the opportunity to play some serious tennis for the rest of the season. That is if his body can still take that level of competing.

He is now expected to return at the Challenger level, perhaps in late February or early March.

Overcoming injuries and managing expectations

No one can take away what Murray has achieved, and, for that reason his name is secure in the history books as a tennis legend. The fall from his outstanding success was nothing to do with Murray’s grit, skill, or determination: his body just wouldn’t perform at the highest level.

An elbow problem was one thing, but after that Murray was dogged by his recurring hip issue. That was the injury that led to his emotional press conference in 2019 during which he admitted retirement was possible if not even probable. The pain had simply become too much, and Murray thought his playing days were behind him.

His comeback after his resurfaced hip has seen some success, but his form is not that of a major champion. 

If Murray can keep the physical issues in check, he then has the overwhelming pressure placed on him to contend with. That comes from fans who are desperate to see a return to form by one of their all-time favorites. Managing the physical and mental demands placed upon Murray will be key to him finding the return to the successes he once enjoyed.