Madrid Open 2022 - 'I've hardly played on it!' - Andy Murray delighted after first clay win in two years
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Published 02/05/2022 at 20:40 GMT
"I've hardly played on it for the last five years, but I did four weeks of training on it before coming here" - Andy Murray hadn't played a match on clay for two years but grabbed a convincing win over two-time French Open finalist Dominic Thiem, winning 6-3 6-4 to progress to the second round of Madrid Open.
Murray won his first match on clay in two years
Image credit: Getty Images
Andy Murray said he was feeling 'comfortable on clay' after grabbing his first win on the surface in two years.
Murray overcame two-time French Open finalist Dominic Thiem in the first round of the Madrid Open, winning 6-3 6-4.
Thiem too, has endured a period away from the sport due to a wrist injury and while he is usually one of the fiercest competitors on clay, he was far below his usual standards.
But Murray said he was happy with his performance after such a long time estranged from clay.
"I've hardly played on it for the last five years, but I did four weeks of training on it before coming here," he said. "I felt more comfortable than I usually do at the beginning of a clay court season.
"I played well but I thought Thiem played well at times but he obviously just started playing as well, so making a few more mistakes than usual, but I was happy with how I played and I moved particularly well which is something I've been working on for the past four weeks, and it changes the way I play the game."
Thiem, a two-time finalist in Madrid, cut a frustrated figure as he struggled to reach low balls and thrashed a litany of unforced errors at the net.
He has been working on rehabilitating his wrist after injury and adapting his forehand, and Murray - who has suffered from wrist injuries himself - believed it will take time for the world number three to get his confidence back and backed Thiem to bounce back.
"I had a wrist injury earlier in my career but it's difficult when you start playing again to let go, sometimes (Thiem) hit it fine but a few times when I used a slice it's when you really have to use the wrist, and he wasn't controlling it as well.
"Hopefully with more matches and confidence it will come, but I think it's very normal when you've missed so much time and had setbacks with the wrist, there will be a slight mental block, but with time I'm sure he will come through that."
Murray tormented his opponent at times but with a shot not so often associated with the Scot.
The former world number one's drop shots were the highlight of the night, and consistently helped him out of any trouble.
And Murray was delighted with how he employed drop shots as well as how he returned them.
"I've tried to use the serve and volley and drop shot a bit, (Thiem) was standing very far back. It's not a shot I practice loads but tonight I used it effectively.
"There were also lots of points where he hit the drop shot and I chased every one down except one, and that was something I was really happy with because that's something I've been working on."
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