The 2020 French Open hosted a promising first-round fixture between Stan Wawrinka and Andy Murray, and it turned into a one-sided fixture where the Swiss utterly dominated the Brit in straight sets. How did Murray reflect on his disappointing loss?

Among the hundreds of other players in the main draw, Murray was handed a match with Stan Wawrinka. It triggered the memories of the 2017 French Open semi-final where Wawrinka beat an in-form Murray in a grueling five-setter.

Besides creating history in Roland Garros with his 2017 semi-final victory, Wawrinka also extended his dominant clay-court record against Murray. In addition to it, the tournament’s #16 seed cruised to victory on Sunday to knock Murray out of the 2020 French Open. 

Andy Murray was unable to hold firm with his first serve and made just 38% in the whole game. ‘I haven’t served like that… that’s nothing to do with my hip. Mistiming returns and serving at 38% that’s got nothing to do with that,” Murray said after the game. 

“That’s something I need to look at with my team. There’s been matches I’ve served well since I came back, that’s not a physical issue.”

Andy Murray’s physical fitness has been bothering him ever since the first hip surgery in 2018. The former World No.1 has been incredibly hardworking towards his return to prime form, and Murray provided an update on how he’s recouping his confidence on the court. 

Andy Murray shares disheartening news for tennis fans

Over the years, we’ve seen Andy Murray impress with plenty of powerful performances. How can one forget 2016, when he captured six titles, or the 2013 Wimbledon when he ended Great Britain’s 77-year wait for a men’s singles champion. 

As things passed, the 2012 US Open winner suffered injuries along the way which deterred his momentum. After his R1 loss against Wawrinka at the 2020 French Open, Murray explained how he’s never going to regain his old fitness but can indeed revive the magic back into the game.

“From a physical perspective, I wouldn’t expect to be the same I was. But in terms of ball striking and my strokes and stuff, I don’t see why – there’s no reason that I shouldn’t be able to do that from a technical perspective.”

Murray did have a celestial moment early in the year when he beat Alexander Zverev at Cincinnati. “Zverev was a couple of points from winning the US Open and I’d won against him the weeks before. I’ll keep going. Let’s see what the next few months hold. I reckon I won’t play a match like that between now and the end of the year,” Murray said.

With this victory, Wawrkina moves ahead in the draw while Murray exits the tournament in the first round for the first time since 2006. How well can the Brit cope with the remainder of the ATP calendar?