Tim Henman hopes Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray will reignite rivalry - 'I would certainly sign up to see them'
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
ByOli Gent
Published 10/02/2024 at 11:23 GMT
Tim Henman is hoping that two former world No.1s Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray can reignite their gripping rivalry once more as the two prepare for the Qatar Open. Both men have been seriously hampered with injuries in the twilight stages of their glittering careers. Nadal has won 17 times against the Scot, while Murray won their last encounter at the Madrid Masters in 2016.
Highlights: Murray slumps to straight-sets defeat against Machac in Marseille
Tim Henman is hoping that two former world No.1s Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray can reignite their gripping rivalry once more as the two prepare for the Qatar Open.
The pair have been plagued by injury as they reach the twilights of their sparking careers, with Nadal winning 22 Grand Slams, and Murray three.
Nadal has been struggling with persistent knee problems throughout his career, and more recently, a hip injury that he sustained at the 2023 Australian Open, which he had entered as the defending champion, and a micro tear on the same hip meant that he missed the opening Grand Slam of 2024 as well.
The injury forced the Spaniard to miss the remainder of the tennis year, including Roland-Garros, which he has won a record 14 times. He has also fallen out of the world’s top 100, and currently sits at 647 in the ATP rankings.
Murray, meanwhile, refuses to retire despite disappointing results since his own comeback from injury.
The Briton lost in the opening round of the 2024 Australian Open to Tomas Etcheverry, the 30th seed, in straight sets, and has since lost in the first rounds of the Open Sud de France - to Benoit Paire - and the Open 13 in Marseille, falling to the Czech Tomas Machac.
The Scot has lost nine of his last 10 matches, but comes into the ATP 250 in Doha with renewed optimism, having reached the final of the same event last year, only to lose to Daniil Medvedev in straight sets.
In Nadal and Murray’s head-to-head, Nadal has the upper hand with 17 wins while Murray has beaten the Spaniard seven times, most recently in the semi-finals of the 2016 Madrid Masters, where Murray, the second seed at that tournament, got one over the ‘King of Clay’ on his home surface.
Now, with both men looking to launch final title assaults in what could be their last years on tour, former British No. 1 Henman hopes that the two can meet for a 25th time in Doha.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2024/02/06/3881197-78856868-2560-1440.jpg)
'Special to share the court with such a legend' - Machac delights in win over Murray
“We would love that,” Henman told Metro.co.uk. “To see them both healthy and back on the court… I’ve got to say, Rafa’s level in Brisbane was impressive.
“Having not played for a whole year and then to come back and play like that. He lost a really tight one against Jordan Thompson and then had a bit of a setback.
“We’ve been blessed with so many great rivalries in the sport. Murray and Nadal, I can’t remember how many times they have played, but I would certainly sign up to see them play one more time!”
Murray’s downturn in form can be traced back to his five-set defeat by Stefanos Tsitsipas at Wimbledon last year, which ruined what had been a strong start to 2023.
“It was a really frustrating match,” Henman said. “Andy was playing the best tennis I have seen him play in five years.
“To be up two sets to one and then have to come back the next day, he lost the momentum and to lose that match was massively frustrating.
“The second half of the year was also frustrating for Andy. This year, to not pick up any wins, you can see and hear how frustrated Andy is.
“There has been some chat around his retirement but for me I don’t agree with that in any way, shape or form.
“As long as he wants to be out there, working hard and putting the hours in and making sacrifices, he should do it for as long as he wants.
“But he’s a competitor. He doesn’t want to go into tournaments making up the numbers and winning a match here or there.”
The Qatar Open men’s draw starts on February 19, and runs until February 24.
- - -
Stream top tennis action, including the 2024 French Open, live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.com
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement