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As Andy Murray prepares to compete within the fourth Olympic video games of his life, he says that profitable a medal on the Tokyo Olympics would rank as among the finest achievements of his profession given his torrid struggles with accidents. He believes that he’s nonetheless able to doing so.
Though the boys’s draw comprises solely 22 high 50 gamers and likewise 22 gamers exterior of the highest 100 after a flurry of withdrawals, luck has not been on the 2012 and 2016 champion’s facet and he faces an especially powerful pair of first-round matches towards high seeds.
Murray will play towards in-form ninth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime within the singles draw whereas within the males’s doubles, the place his probabilities of a deep run are maybe likelier alongside Joe Salisbury, they’ve been handed one of many hardest attracts towards second seeds Pierre Hugues-Herbert and Nicolas Mahut, who’ve received 5 grand slam titles collectively.
“That’s the purpose, to attempt to win one other medal,” mentioned Murray, who additionally has a silver received with Laura Robson in doubles in 2012. “I’m conscious that it’s not gonna be straightforward. I’m additionally in a barely totally different place to what I used to be 4, 5 years in the past after I would’ve been anticipated to get one. Possibly not the case this time round.”
“However for me, it could most likely be my finest achievement if I might do this after every little thing that’s gone on the previous couple of years and stuff. I’m motivated for that purpose alone and I nonetheless consider that I can do this. I nonetheless consider that it’s potential.”
Murray was in a much more optimistic state of mind than instantly after his straight set Wimbledon third-round loss to Denis Shapovalov of Canada, when he completed his press convention by questioning how lengthy he might proceed to compete as accidents disrupted his schedule.
With a long way from the occasion, Murray now says that he’s the healthiest he has been “for the longest interval within the final 12 months”. He has been capable of practise “far more” since Wimbledon than his sparse coaching schedule main into the occasion. He feels that he’s enhancing.
As he mentioned Wimbledon, Murray recounted a dialogue along with his daughter that undoubtedly helped his resolve, Murray laughed: “After I bought dwelling, the day after my match, my daughter mentioned to me: ‘Daddy, you’re dwelling since you misplaced one other tennis match?’ I mentioned: ‘Yeah, I did. However what do you do while you lose at one thing?’ And he or she mentioned: ‘You attempt to strive once more?’ I used to be like: ‘Yeah, that’s what I wish to do.’ I wish to hold taking part in as a result of I take pleasure in it. I nonetheless assume I can play at degree.”
Within the males’s draw, Novak Djokovic’s chase for a golden slam continues. The world No 1 faces Hugo Dellien within the first spherical, with seventh seed Andrey Rublev looming in his quarter. Alexander Zverev, seeded fourth, is the best ranked rival in his half whereas Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas probably loom within the closing. Liam Broady, a late entrant following the withdrawals, will face Francisco Cerundolo within the first spherical.
Naomi Osaka’s return to competitors headlines the ladies’s competitors, and she or he has a good draw within the opening spherical as she faces Zheng Saisai of China. Osaka might probably battle her good buddy and fellow grand slam champion Iga Swiatek within the quarter-final.
Larger up within the girls’s draw, which definitely has a stronger area than the boys’s occasion, Ashleigh Barty opens towards the tireless Sara Sorribes Tormo, which might show a tough encounter in situations which are mentioned to be fairly sluggish. Barbora Krejcikova, the French Open champion, might await within the quarter-final. Staff GB’s Heather Watson will begin towards Anna-Lenn Friedsam of Germany.
Play will start on Saturday and Murray will likely be there from the start, providing the complete scope of his effort even when he receives little in return: “I do know that this might be the final [Olympics] for me. So I wish to go on the market and depart every little thing out on the courtroom, combat for each single level. As a result of finally that’s all you are able to do.”
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