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Andy Murray: 2018 will be career defining year on ATP World Tour

By Harry Floyd

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 11: Andy Murray of Great Britain in action during a training session prior to the Nitto ATP World Tour Finals at O2 Arena on November 11, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 11: Andy Murray of Great Britain in action during a training session prior to the Nitto ATP World Tour Finals at O2 Arena on November 11, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) /
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Andy Murray is heading into what will be a career defining year. The former world No. 1 is returning from injury and hopes to compete in early 2018.

Andy Murray last won a Grand Slam title on the 2016 ATP World Tour.

That same year, he capped off his stellar run with an ATP Finals win over friend and rival Novak Djokovic. The 2017 ATP World Tour, however, did not go the same way for Murray.

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The former world No. 1 struggled to find his rhythm this past year. He suffered from ongoing injuries that ultimately forced him to step away from the court in order to recover and gear up for next year’s tour.

Andy Murray is a three-time Grand Slam singles champion.

The British No. 1 somehow managed to finish at No. 16 in the singles rankings in 2017. Winning one title early on this past year, Murray attempted to continue fighting through any injuries later in the year. Action at Wimbledon, however, saw the former world No. 1 reach his playing limit.

American tennis star Sam Querrey knocked Murray out of the quarterfinals at Wimbledon 2017. The five-set thrilling match saw Murray visibly shaken up on the court. His movement was impaired and it was clear that the former world No. 1 would need to address his lingering injuries. Despite wanting to play in several tournaments down the stretch, Murray would end up withdrawing from much of the second half of the year. He did appear in a charity match against Roger Federer in Glasgow.

Next: Top 10: Men's Singles Tennis

Looking ahead to the 2018 ATP World Tour, Andy Murray must reestablish himself in the sport of men’s singles tennis. With three Grand Slam singles titles, he enters the year as a top player. He is, however, losing ground in the ATP rankings to several young up and comers such as Grigor Dimitrov and Alexander Zverev. While it used to be Murray simply competing with the likes of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer, the sport is changing. Also returning from injury will be Djokovic, Stan Wawrinka, Kei Nishikori, and others. The road ahead is not an easy one for the British great. He aims to play in Brisbane in the coming month and find his game leading into the Australian Open. Murray is a five-time finalist at Melbourne Park and would love to taste glory at the first Grand Slam event of the 2018 ATP World Tour.

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