DUBAI, (Reuters) – A healthy body and a healthy mind have become the priorities for tennis world number four Andy Murray.
“I need to make sure that I’m fresh going into all the tournaments that I play,” said Murray, who is playing this week for the first time since losing to Roger Federer in the final of the Australian Open on Jan. 31.
“I don’t want to be going over to Indian Wells, Miami with niggles. By the end of that month you’re undoubtedly going to be hurting so you don’t want to go into the tournaments already sore,” Murray told reporters at the Dubai championships on Sunday.
“So I need to make sure that I take enough time after, like in Australia. I need to make sure that I’m fresh. My back was sore, my knee was hurting, my hip. After Australia you need to make sure that you got those things right.
“A lot of it is through tiredness, but the sport is such a physical one. Your body takes such a pounding and over the course of the two weeks you’re hitting, playing, doing all this stuff (interviews) as well. I’m not complaining about it, but it does take away some energy.
“You need to make sure you get away from it and just refresh your mind and come back feeling right for all the tournaments,” added the 22-year-old Scot.
“That’s the difference, the change that I’ve made in my mentality over the last six months or so. I want to go into all of the slams feeling right, because last year that wasn’t the case. And I don’t want that to happen again.”
Murray, seeded third, plays Russian qualifier Igor Kunitsyn in the first round on Monday, and has avoided a potential semi-final with Federer after the top seed withdrew with a lung infection.
