Andy Murray Is Pleased Thus Far With His (Come)Back

Speaking in Abu Dhabi following a win today over Stanislas Wawrinka, Andy Murray sounded optimistic about the state of his game and his recovery from back surgery.

“I didn’t feel that bad when I got up today, which was a great positive because we finished very late yesterday. Playing in heat also helps when you are coming back from an injury. Heat makes a good difference. It was nice and I wanted to get as much practice as possible ahead of the Grand Slam,” Murray told the Gulf News.

“I will have to play five-setters in few weeks’ time. The only way to get used to that is by spending time on court and yes, it will be a bit hard on the body,” he added. “My body will be stiff but we have done everything right in training. I can get back in good condition only by playing matches and spending more time on court.”

In his first “unofficial” match back yesterday, Murray lost in straight sets to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

“It was a good workout,” Murray said Thursday. “You want to play your best, but you need to be realistic and patient.

“Moving is the most important thing. I just need to be able to do it for a longer period. I just felt like I hadn’t played a match for a while.”

The Wimbledon champion now makes the quick trip to Doha for next week’s season opener.