Andy Murray’s former coach Alex Corretja has urged the Scot to consider skipping the French Open in order to be fresh for Wimbledon and the Olympics. Murray missed the recent Australian Open due to a pelvic injury but has not set a return date ahead of the clay-court season which begins in April.
The 32-year-old has not featured in a Grand Slam singles tournament since last year’s Melbourne opener, after which he underwent hip resurfacing surgery.
There is a chance that Murray could return in time for the French Open in May but his former clay-court coach Corretja believes it would be wiser for the three-time Grand Slam winner to use the spring to regain his fitness.
“He should use the clay-court season to get enough matches to be ready for grass,” the Spaniard said.
“Because if he skips the clay-court season, there is going to be such a long gap before the grass.
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“If he gets that kind of rhythm, he is going to be dangerous at Wimbledon because he knows the feeling and what it takes to win,” added the Eurosport analyst.
“It is very special, he loves the feeling and it is a competition he knows that he can win.
“But it also depends on the draw which is going to be a bit tricky for everyone because you don’t want to face him in the first round.
“He’s done already everything that he wanted to. I remember speaking with him and he really told me when he started, he said: ‘I want to become number one, I want to win slams, I want to win Davis Cup, something that is for us nearly impossible.’
“He achieved all these goals, Olympics, so it should be just relief and feel like, ok, whatever comes that’s going to be an unbelievable prize.”