Justine Henin ‘emotional’ to see Andy Murray’s Australian Open run - ‘Four years ago we couldn’t imagine this’
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Updated 21/01/2023 at 18:38 GMT
Andy Murray’s thrilling run to the third round of the Australian Open made Eurosport expert Justine Henin emotional, she has revealed. Murray considered retirement in 2019 after losing to Roberto Bautista Agut, and four years on his defeat to the Spaniard in Melbourne has shown the three-time Grand Slam champion that he "can still do some damage" at major tournaments.
Bautista Agut downs Murray as Brit's epic run ends - Australian Open highlights
Eurosport expert Justine Henine has admitted she has been “emotional” when seeing Andy Murray’s entertaining first week run at the Australian Open.
Murray won two five-set matches, including a thriller against Thanasi Kokkinakis that finished just after 04:00 local time on Friday, before losing in the third round to Roberto Bautista Agut.
In 2019, there were serious doubts about whether he would continue due to a second jip surgery that had forced other plays into retirement.
However, he has slowly climbed up the ATP rankings and the 35-year-old believes he can “do some damage” at a Grand Slam.
“I have to tell you, I’ve been really emotional about his win here in Melbourne,” Henin said on Eurosport’s Australian Open coverage.
“I was really emotional when he said he was so proud of himself. Four years ago we couldn’t imagine we would speak so much about Andy here after we thought it was his retirement, so what emotions and probably the best moment of his career actually.
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Henin has been 'really emotional' watching Murray compete at Australian Open
“Andy talked about the fun which is also really important because during a career when we are so much into it, it’s not that we forget about the fun, it’s that we lose that word.
“Now he’s back, he realises he wants to have fun and give fun also to the crowd which is an important point.
“Where will it go, it’s very hard to say. Tennis these days is tough, young players pushing, players hitting so hard the ball and you have so many players playing at a high level.”
Murray’s performances this week are arguably the most impressive he has had at a major since 2017.
Mats Wilander says Murray’s physical style of play, so could look to change his game in a similar manner to Nadal if he wants to.
“You don’t know what it is really about with Andy Murray,” said Wilander. “We all say, ‘Oh maybe he can reach the top 20 again’. Maybe it’s not about the top 20, maybe he just wants to just play at this level when the situation presents itself,
“That’s not necessarily in a 250 [event] on the ATP Tour, but on Court 1 at Wimbledon against somebody who could potentially be a future champion, like Carlos Alcaraz.
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Murray says he would like to go out 'playing tennis like this' after Australian Open exit
“So that’s the situation you are building for and at his age, who knows. As long as he has a ranking where he gets into tournaments and he feels that he belongs there, maybe he can get seeded here and there, that’s what the goal has to be.
“We cannot ask of Andy Murray what Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic are doing. He’s coming from a completely different place and it’s a miracle that he’s able to play.
“Imagine what Novak and Rafa are doing, they are the favourites to win slams still at the same age but Andy, he wants to get there, let’s take small steps even though he’s at the end of his career.”
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