Johanna Konta has backed Andy Murray to reach the second week at the US Open after a disappointing early exit at Wimbledon. The world No 37 has made it no secret that his big goal is to have a deep run at one of the Grand Slams but recently sparked concerns when he picked up an abdominal strain. But retired British star Konta told Express Sport that Murray was ready to wrangle his way through multiple matches in a row in New York.
There are still some question marks around Murray with one week to go until the US Open. The 36-year-old has had a positive season so far, picking up three Challenger tour titles, and reached the round-of-16 at the recent Canadian Open before pulling out with an abdominal issue that also saw him skip the Masters 1000 in Cincinnati.
A former champion at the US Open, Murray had already been seen practising in Cincinnati before deciding to withdraw with many hoping it was just a precaution to be in top shape at Flushing Meadows. And former world No 4 Konta believes Murray will be able to reach the second week as hoped if he is fit.
“I think just seeing Murray back into a physical state where he is able to play the wants to play and therefore, like he said, challenge the best players in the world is I think the most you can ask of any player going into a Slam,” the retired British pro said, speaking exclusively to Express Sport.
“If they’re physically fit and their level is starting to build and they’re looking just more consistent then that’s where they want to be.” Konta, herself a former quarter-finalist at the US Open, also said it was just good to see Murray being able to be himself on the court once again.
She continued: “And I think especially for us with Andy, seeing him be able to be Andy on court because it was always his physicality, his tenacity on court, he just absolutely wrangles his way through matches in such a tough way.
“So I think that he is in that space now to be able to do that and to do that successively in match after match, I don’t see why we wouldn’t see him potentially in the second week and then we’ll see what happens.”
As well as his aim of reaching the second week at a Major, Konta also thought Murray was well on the way to fighting for titles and pushing his ranking up even further. The 36-year-old recently reached his best spot in five years at No 36 in the world and made the final in Doha earlier this season.
But the 32-year-old wasn’t sure whether a deep run at a Slam would give him the push to lift tour titles or vice-versa. “I mean that’s a bit like the chicken or the egg,” she explained.
“Whether it will be a title, a 250 or a 500 title to come before a second week appearance at a Slam again, who knows? But I think whenever as a player you get just a good run of tournaments, a good run of matches in those tournaments, making quarters, semis, finals. That builds and that will build into either making second week in a Slam or winning a title.”
