“I would fancy myself against a lot of them” - Andy Murray recalls beating Nick Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsitsipas ahead of grass season
Wins over the likes of Nick Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsitsipas are still fresh in the mind of Andy Murray, who has headed into the grasscourt season feeling confident about his prospects.
A two-time Wimbledon champion, Murray is no stranger to success on the green lawns. The Brit has put up some solid display in the last couple of years post a major hip surgery.
Playing a truncated season since the surgery seems to have paid off as Murray looked fit as a fiddle in his winning return to his beloved grasscourt at the Surbiton Trophy.
Speaking to The Telegraph on the sidelines of the event, Murray said while he wouldn't put a particular ranking next to his name, he was still feeling like he could beat top players on the surface.
Recalling his run to the summit clash at Stuttgart last year, Murray pointed out that he posted comprehensive wins over the likes of Nick Kyrgios — who reached the Wimbledon final just a week later — and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
“It is hard to put numbers on it like that but yes, I would fancy myself against a lot of them,” Andy Murray said of his stature on grass. “Last year I won against [Nick] Kyrgios who made the final of Wimbledon. I won against Stefanos Tsitsipas – it is probably not his favourite surface but he is one of the best players in the world.
“I was a set-all with Matteo Berrettini in the final of Stuttgart who is quite clearly in the top few grass-court players before I hurt my abs," he added.
"I’m playing better this year than I was last year" - Andy Murray
Andy Murray also went on to say that he is now playing even better tennis that he was last year when he beat the top names, including Nick Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
The Brit, however, was quick to add that he needed more matches under his belt and was hopeful of posting good results over the next five weeks.
“And I’m playing better this year than I was last year," Andy Murray said. "But it is kind of irrelevant if you say that. You have to perform and win the matches on the court and it is up to me to show that in the next four or five weeks.”
Murray, who beat Korea's Chung Hyeon in the opening round of the Surbiton Trophy, will take on Chinese Bu Yunchaokete next for a place in the quarterfinals.