Former World No. 1 Justine Henin believes that Andy Murray may choose to skip the French Open and the remainder of the clay-court season to focus on competing at Wimbledon. Murray recently participated in the Monte-Carlo Masters for the first time since 2017 and faced a 6-3, 6-1 defeat against 14th seed Alex de Minaur. Following the match, Murray described it as one of the worst he has played throughout his career.
Murray’s Struggles on Clay
Justine Henin observed that Murray found it difficult to move and find rhythm during his game, which did not help him on clay. The Belgian tennis icon told Eurosport, “We could see yesterday that it was tough for him to move and to find the rhythm. His game was not really helping to make the difference on the clay. It is tough to say that about Andy because we love him so much, what he has done on the tour is just amazing.”
Focusing on Wimbledon
Henin also mentioned that Murray might have some doubts about competing at the French Open after his recent defeat, especially as he is nearing the end of his career. She suggested that the 35-year-old might prioritize Wimbledon, leading him to rethink his clay-court participation. “His priority for sure is Wimbledon. He wants to play one more Roland-Garros – he wasn’t sure a few days ago and maybe is even less sure now. We will see what he decides soon,” said Henin.
Murray’s Upcoming Performance in Madrid Masters
With an 8-6 record in the 2023 season thus far, Andy Murray is scheduled to compete next at the Madrid Masters. This Claycourt tournament has been his most successful on this surface, winning 23 out of 33 matches, including a 2015 title. Murray reached the Round of 16 in the last year’s edition of the Masters 1000 event, with wins over Dominic Thiem and Denis Shapovalov, but withdrew right before facing Novak Djokovic due to illness.
