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Andy Murray is bracing himself for the \u201cweird\u201d experience of playing at the US Open without any fans.<\/p>\nAndy Murray is bracing himself for the \u201cweird\u201d experience of playing at the US Open without any fans.<\/p>\n
The first grand slam since the coronavirus pandemic struck gets under way in New York on Monday and is being played behind closed doors.<\/p>\n
Murray, playing his first major since January 2019, takes on Japanese Yoshihito Nishioka on Arthur Ashe on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
It is a court where some of his best moments have occurred, memorably winning the 2012 title, and the Scot is preparing himself for it to be very different.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think mentally it\u2019s going to be difficult for the players,\u201d he said of playing behind closed doors. \u201cIt is difficult, but the level of tennis is what\u2019s important.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you can sort of block all of the weirdness of playing without a crowd, like, on big stadiums and stuff. I actually felt OK doing that last week. It didn\u2019t feel too bad in the matches.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt will be tricky. I play my first match on Arthur Ashe. I played some of the best atmospheres that I\u2019ve ever played in tennis on that court.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo go out there on such a huge stadium and have literally no one in the stands is going to be weird. I know that\u2019s going to be the case, so at least I can prepare for it mentally.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s different, but I\u2019m just looking forward to getting to compete in a slam again.\u201d<\/p>\n
Murray has not played a best-of-five-sets singles match since having a metal plate inserted into his hip in January 2019, but he is backing his body to be able to come through it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe day off (in between matches) helps for sure,\u201d he said. \u201cLast week was tough, the day after the match with (Alexander) Zverev, but it was also the first match I had played, matches I had played, in 10 months.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo playing two two-and-a-half-hour matches in the heat of the day was difficult. But my body will learn fast.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has been playing tennis matches its whole life. I think it will adjust to what it is required to do. It might just take a bit of time because it has not done it for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n