Andy Murray targets French Open 'one more time before I stop playing' and looks ahead to Alexander Zverev clash

ByJames Hilsum

Updated 22/02/2023 at 09:20 GMT

Andy Murray is hoping to appear in the second Grand Slam of the calendar year when the French Open begins on May 28. Murray is hoping to continue his rise back up the ATP rankings this year, with a place in the top 32 enough to secure him a seeded place at a Grand Slam. The 35-year-old has another chance to aid his rise up the rankings when he takes on Alexander Zverev on Wednesday afternoon.

Andy Murray is targeting a return to French Open this year as he continues his quest to move up into the top 32 of the ATP rankings.

Moving higher up the rankings would secure the Scot a seeded place in the Grand Slams, and those hopes were following a victory over Lorenzo Sonego in the first round of the Qatar Open.

“My plan just now is to play in Rome, Madrid and hopefully the French Open, providing my body is good," Murray said in Doha.

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“I’ll do a training block after Miami on the clay, I’m going to do that in Europe somewhere for three or four weeks. I’ll train, try and get my body used to the clay courts and monitor how my body is feeling.”

The former world No. 1 has only made two appearances in the last six years at Roland Garros, and will be eager to right the wrongs of a straight sets first-round defeat to Stan Wawrinka three years ago.

“Physically, I was not good the year I played against Wawrinka,” he said. “I’d like to get the opportunity to play it one more time before I stop playing. While I feel physically really good, I would like to play there again.”

Murray has begun 2023 in strong fashion after progressing to the Australian Open third round following epic wins over Matteo Berrettini and Thanasi Kokkinakis before a four-set defeat to Roberto Bautista Agut.

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“What I did in Australia gave me lots of belief in my physical state. Putting all the work I did in the off-season and continuing that after the Australian Open has really helped,” he added.

The 35-year-old has another chance to aid his rise up the rankings when he takes on Alexander Zverev at the Qatar Open on Wednesday afternoon.

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Zverev was given a bye through the first round of the ATP 250 event, and Murray is relishing the prospect of taking on the tournament’s fourth seed in Qatar.

“He’s obviously one of the top players in the world," Murray said about his next opponent.

"He had a bad injury at [Roland Garros] last year and is just coming back from that. He’s going to be improving every week just now.

"He’s not quite at the level he was back in the middle of last year, but injuries like that take time. It will be another great match, hopefully I can keep building on this one.”

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The 2023 Australian Open was live and the French Open will follow on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.com

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