Murray in his element among the legends

Andy Murray has again rubbed shoulders with “his” tennis crowd with a hit-out in Brisbane against  legend Rafael Nadal.

The 36-year-old Scot who has frequently joined the Spanish idol on the ATP injured list, pronounced Nadal on good form and rising.

Nadal is back on court nearly a year after last playing, suffering an abdominal injury last January in the Australian Open second round and sitting out the remainder of 2023.

The 37-year-old will test his fitness but has voiced few hopes of major success.

Murray begs to differ, saying the Mallorcan looks strong: “I notice that he is working very hard, as he has always done.

“The training with him is really very intense. He’s physically well and playing at a good level.”

The Scot with three Grand Slam titles has also tasted the heights of the game, winning three Grand Slam titles including a pair at his beloved Wimbledon. 

But a lost half-decade caused by his various hip surgeries can never be replaced as he squeezes new life into his veteran’s career.

“It’s been a long time since I competed with any of them (his contemporaries Nadal, retired Roger Federer and the still-active Novak Djokovic).

“I would love to face (a longtime rival) one more time in a final round of important tournaments. 

“In the meantime, I like to train with them whenever I can because it brings back very good memories and I really enjoy it. 

Murray said he can notice subtle changes in Nadal’s game:

“It’s fantastic news that he is competing again. There are some things he’s doing slightly differently, like being more aggressive with his second serve and trying to reduce rallies.

“If he wants to be successful I think he needs to continue down that path and that’s how he’s played. against me in training. 

“If the injuries spare him, that style of play is going to work very well for him.”