When Andy Murray’s epic five-set match with Novak Djokovic at the US Open final eventually finished, the Scot looked utterly exhausted. Unable to fully contextualise his achievements, Murray, not the favourite before the start of the match in the tennis betting odds, crouched down on court before limping back to his seat. He was in pain.
Physically the 25-year-old looked beat. Murray immediately took his shoes off to relieve the blisters that had been boiling all week and slumped back on his chair, incapable of moving.
As are the pressures of hard-court tennis, a form of the game Rafael Nadal has recently suggested is ruining the sport. While Murray was lifting the US Open trophy Nadal was no doubt watching on TV, resting his injured knees that are feeling the effects of years of vigorous hard-court action.
Nadal, always a punters’ favourite in the bet365 tennis betting, spoke out recently and condemned the high number of hard-court tournaments on the ATP tour, suggesting he will now play less tennis to extend his career: “Hard courts are very negative for the body. I may have to play more on clay than before, but there aren’t that many options.”
One thing Murray must do during the off-season is heed Nadal’s words and seriously consider how much hard-court tennis he plays in the future. Murray has suffered various strain injuries before and famously carried an ankle brace for a number of years in his first seasons on tour.
The Scot recently needed on-court treatment to his injured knee at the Toronto Masters, a problem that forced him to withdraw from the tournament. That rest did him the world of good as he went on to win his first ever Grand Slam at Flushing Meadows and soon Murray may see the value of sitting out of minor competitions.
Like Nadal, Murray must understand that playing such intense tennis on hard courts may win you titles but it won’t aid career longevity.
