Andy Murray expresses his admiration for Richard Gasquet and Stanislas Wawrinka at Indian Wells

ByEurosport

Updated 11/03/2023 at 10:36 GMT

ATP tour veterans Andy Murray (35), Richard Gasquet (36) and Stanislas Wawrinka (37) have all progressed to the second round of Indian Wells. Murray says he is pleased to see two players he has faced numerous times in his career still battling hard on the tour and enjoys witnessing the pair come back from injuries and setbacks in recent years because of their "love for the sport".

Highlights: Murray tops Etcheverry in latest marathon victory to move on at Indian Wells

Andy Murray has great admiration for fellow tour veterans Stanislas Wawrinka and Richard Gasquet and says he stays in touch with the pair.

Murray has played Gasquet 13 times in his decorated career and a former Grand Slam-chasing rival in Wawrinka 22 times.

The 35-year-old, who is in the second round of Indian Wells after a hard-fought three-set win over Tomas Martin Etcheverry, says he keeps in contact with Wawrinka who has also been battling long-term injuries in recent years.

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"Me and Stan always stayed in touch during the injuries," Murray told reporters after Wawrinka also won his first-round match against qualifier Aleksandar Vukic after four years away from Indian Wells. "I mean not daily but messages here and there.

"We always got on very well together and obviously have shared the court many times with each other and stuff.

"We always sort of message each other and stayed in touch through the injuries."

Gasquet has enjoyed a resurgence in 2023. He stunned British No. 1 Cameron Norrie to win the ASB Classic in Auckland in January and has progressed to the second round of Indian Wells for the first time since 2016 after beating Croatian qualifier Borna Gojo 6-4 6-7(5) 6-2.

Murray says he enjoys watching the 35-year-old still compete at the highest level on the tour and believes that the Frenchman and Wawrinka must still "love the sport".

"Gasquet, I was really happy for him when he won the tournament in Auckland earlier this year," he said. "I think he maybe sometimes doesn't get the respect he deserves.

"He's been an incredible player for such a long time and just love seeing guys that maybe are not at their peak. But they're still out there giving everything, competing because they love the sport.

"You know, I practiced with them last year at this tournament. I was chatting with Gasquet about it like 'how long are you going to play' and he was asking me.

"He was still saying he still loves playing and loves competing. That can take you a long way.

"He's also an incredibly talented guy but you know, the love for the sport is still there clearly to be playing as well as he is at his age."

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