In an exclusive interview, Andy Murray discussed his mental preparation for today’s Wimbledon doubles match against Rinky Hijikata and John Peers.
Murray abruptly withdrew from the Wimbledon singles on Tuesday, but he is still playing in the men’s and women’s doubles events before retiring later in the summer—possibly following the Paris Olympic Games.
The 37-year-old, a two-time Wimbledon men’s singles champion, is competing in the men’s doubles first round on Center Court today with his brother Jamie Murray. He has joined up with fellow Brit Emma Raducanu in the mixed doubles.
Murray’s back injury required surgery, which initially appeared to rule him out of the Championships entirely. His physical health and fitness have been extensively covered, but little is known about how he is feeling psychologically going into what may be his final match in SW19.
Before his opening Wimbledon 2024 match, Murray was asked by Metro about his thoughts and mental state. He responded, saying, “My mental health is actually pretty good at the moment.”
My thoughts are mostly occupied with the upcoming week since I am highly focused on it. When I learned I would need surgery, it was clearly quite difficult, but there was really no alternative.
‘So I shifted pretty quickly into thinking about recovery. It helps that I’m at home at the moment too – having my kids around definitely puts everything else into perspective.’
Meanwhile, Murray has also provided insight into how he is preparing for his first doubles match.
‘Training for doubles is slightly different to the singles,’ he added. ‘We work a lot on my reflexes so I do exercises like ball snatches with multiple balls moving at the same time.
‘It’s quite intense but it really focuses your hand eye coordination. We spend a lot of time working on net play too and communication as that’s key in doubles.
“Playing with Jamie is made easier by the fact that we know each other so well.” In order for Emma and I to function as a team during our first match, we will also practice together on the court for a little while.
Many believe that doing doubles is easier on the body, however that isn’t actually the case. “Now, just like in singles, my warm-ups and time spent with the physiotherapist are crucial.”
For a time now, I’ve also been taking Vital Proteins collagen, which has aided in my recuperation. For me, it’s all about consistency. I concentrate on my workout after adding a scoop of collagen to my morning coffee.