"I was playing rubbish; when you're not playing well, it's not easy to win matches" - Andy Murray on being unseeded at Australian Open 2024

Andy Murray will be playing in his 16th Australian Open this year, but underwhelming performances at the back of the year mean that he will not be seeded at the event and can run into a tough opponent in the first round itself.

Murray, during an interview with Daily Mail, conceded that his lack of match wins has resulted in his ranking stalling. The Briton said he would have been able to secure a seeding at the Australian Open had he won a few of his matches,

Pointing out one particular aspect of his game that bothered him towards the back end of last year, Murray said he had never thought that he would have as much trouble winning tight matches in the period.

Andy Murray, who is known for his grit and fighting skills, said he felt like he was playing “rubbish”. He added that it becomes hard to win when you lose too many close encounters and that translates into the rankings.

“I was also playing rubbish and when you're not playing well, it's not as easy to win matches,” Andy Murray said. “When you're playing well if you're confident in your game, it becomes easier.”

“If your ranking drops and you're probably not winning as many matches and you get in those situations, you don't cope with them as well. But let's see. If I put myself in those situations, it's always been one of the better parts of my game,” he added.

Murray has made a successful return to tennis after career-threatening injuries on more occasions than one. His latest return after a hip surgery has seen him reach 700 match wins and return to the ATP Top 50.

He has, however, also conceded that his game has developed over the years and is not the same as when he first started.

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"I think I’ve made improvements in the off-season" - Andy Murray

Andy Murray at the 2024 Kooyong Classic.

Dissecting his game in the same interview, Andy Murray said he was not serving well during the second half of the 2023 season. Not winning a fair few easy points off the first serve, the Brit said, put more pressure on other aspects of his game and landed him in uncomfortable positions.

“I never had an issue with that in my career, and last year, I felt like I was not serving well when it came to serving for matches,” Andy Murray said. “I was not getting many free points, ending up in long rallies. Just not feeling comfortable on the court.”

Murray also said that he has put in work to improve his serve during the off-season and was hoping to fare better in close encounters this year.

“So hopefully with some improved serving and feeling a bit better about my game, when I put myself in those situations, it goes well. I think I’ve made improvements in the off season.” he said.