Andy Murray is ready to return to action next week as he is set to compete at the ATP 500 event in Washington D.C. The Citi Open presents a perfect opportunity for the Brit to put things in motion, and hopefully gain some momentum for this segment of the season.
Currently ranked 838th in the world (way below his real value), Andy Murray is expected to start a new chapter in his Tennis career. A three-time Grand Slam champion, Murray received two wild-cards that will put him on the courts of upcoming two Masters 1000 events. The Rogers Cup and then Cincinnati are two events where even a medium run could help him climb back up the ranking.
Andy Murray opted for a full schedule on hardcourts
According to tennis.com, Andy Murray joined Viktoria Azarenka on the wild-card list of the event in Cincinnati. That means the Brit will go all-in, deciding to play three events before heading to the 2018 US Open, the last Grand Slam of the season and a place where he encountered ultimate success back in 2012.
But there's also another facet of the issue we must consider. Earlier this year, Murray made his official comeback during the grass season and, unfortunately, he encountered little success. He went then on to withdraw from the 2018 Wimbledon Championships.
Having secured entrance into three different events doesn't necessarily mean that he will be playing all of them.
Maybe he secured some safety nets and a chance to put as many matches as possible under his belt prior to the 2018 US Open.
The above Instagram post has Andy Murray already at Citi Open's courts. This ATP 500 event is set to start next week and the entry list is a heavy one. According to the ATP official website, last year's winner and the current world No.
3, Alexander Zverev, leads a pack that also includes the 2017 runner-up Kevin Anderson. Stan Wawrinka, Kei Nishikori, John Isner, Nick Kyrgios and many more.
Andy Murray has a long journey ahead
Having slipped so low in the ranking is the direct consequence of being out of the competitive zone for about a year. The upcoming events can work in his favor if he will be able to capitalize on those chances.
Several hundred points are available during the US Open Series. He could later use that momentum to propel his game during the indoor hard segment that closes up the competitive season.
Being away from the game is a big deal for a player who less than two years ago was sitting comfortably at the ATP summit. With so many questions revolving around Andy Murray's future in the game, all we can hope for is that his motivation has remained untouched as well as his unique fighting spirit.
