Andy Murray recalls fateful 2017 French Open semi-final against Stan Wawrinka – where he first felt the severe hip pain which almost ended his career – as he prepares to face off with Swiss veteran in the first round
- Andy Murray will play Stan Wawrinka in the first round of the French Open on Sunday
- Murray, 37, recalls the ‘pain’ he felt during the 2017 semi-final against the Swiss
- The Scottish player underwent hip surgery in 2019 that saved his career
Andy Murray’s first round match against Stan Wawrinka on Sunday will bring unpleasant memories to the surface.
It was during the 2017 semi-final against the Swiss that Murray’s hip started screaming at him in a way that could no longer be ignored.
The Scot was world number 1 at the time and led Wawrinka by two sets to one, until his body gave out.
“I remember before the quarter-final against Kei Nishikori, something was wrong,” the world number 75 recalled yesterday.
‘I had been having problems with my hip for a long time. As the matches went on, I had problems moving and getting up to serve.
Andy Murray’s hip caused him serious problems during the 2017 French Open semi-final before he underwent surgery two years later
In the end he lost three sets to two against Stan Wawrinka, against whom he now faces in the first round
“I remember during that match, the fifth set, I felt like I couldn’t move. I couldn’t sleep that night, my hip was in so much pain. I remember getting up at night and lying on the couch in a lot of pain.
‘I never recovered. After that match I could no longer stretch my leg back properly.’
When I heard that, it was strange to think that Murray actually advanced to the Wimbledon quarter-finals that year, before taking a year off and ultimately undergoing surgery in 2019.
Given all this, it’s remarkable to see Murray still competing on this stage, and he provided a positive update on his latest injury – an ankle problem.
The 37-year-old and 39-year-old Wawrinka are often mentioned together as winners of three Grand Slam titles each, but the Swiss demurred yesterday when the comparison was made.
“He has a lot more titles overall,” Wawrinka said of Murray. ‘He has been fighting with the big three for fifteen years, always in the top five, top three and plays every semi-final or final.
“He’s a bit unlucky in that he only has three slams and that’s maybe why people link me with him. But he is very far away from myself, from my career. He’s leading the way.’