Andy Murray ‘will be devastated with Wimbledon exit – but can still win titles’

Murray was beaten by fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second round in SW19.

Jonathan Veal
Thursday 13 July 2023 12:16 BST
Andy Murray suffered a second-round exit at Wimbledon following a five-set thriller against Stefanos Tsitsipas (Joe Toth/AELTC Handout)
Andy Murray suffered a second-round exit at Wimbledon following a five-set thriller against Stefanos Tsitsipas (Joe Toth/AELTC Handout) (PA Wire)

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Andy Murray’s former coach Jamie Delgado believes the Scot still has what it takes to win the top titles despite his early Wimbledon exit.

Murray came into his favourite tournament, where he has been a two-time winner, with genuine hope that he could have a deep run for the first time since his hip operation in 2019.

But he was on the wrong end of a five-set thriller with fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second round, leaving him with more grand slam disappointment.

But Delgado, who was in Murray’s camp when he won his second Wimbledon crown and went to world number one in 2016, believes his former player can still target the top prizes.

“I am sure he will be devastated by that,” Delgado said of the Tsitsipas defeat.

“He had opportunities to win that match and the draw opened up a little bit and he could have had a really deep run here.

“On a surface he really likes and the history he has got here, I am sure he will be really disappointed.

“He has been playing really well, physically he has looked really good and he is moving well. Once he gets his head around it he will be able to have a good run at some other tournaments.

“He would have ranking goals but for him it is more competing for the biggest titles rather than rankings.

“I still think he can win events and he has shown enough that he can beat someone like Tsitsipas.

“He just needs a little bit of luck to get through a match like that. He could have been in the semi-finals here, I really think that.

“Watching him now it doesn’t even look like he has anything in the hip. That has probably been a huge achievement in itself, seeing him play and move almost as good as he ever did.

“We all sometimes forget when you are watching him that he has had that injury but he has worked so hard to get himself feeling this way.”

Both Murray and his brother Jamie, who is a year older at 37, are still competing at the highest level and Delgado says it is great to see.

“They love it and so they should,” he added. “You are doing what you love, it’s your passion from a young age and they are still doing it at the highest level.

“Watching them play on Centre Court at Wimbledon you wish it was yourself doing it.

“I think they will do it for as long as they can physically and they can still compete for titles so I don’t see them stopping any time soon.”

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