Andy Murray on Naomi Osaka, injuries and support for Scotland | UK News

With less than a week to go before Wimbledon, two-time champion Andy Murray is preparing to compete in singles for the first time in four years.

Now 34, with a metal hip, he still remembers the struggles he had as a young player on his All England Club debut 16 years ago and can empathize with Naomi Osaka who withdrew from the championships due to mental health issues.

“Obviously I’ve had a lot of injuries over the past few years which was tough mentally, but when I was younger, dealing with the pressure of playing high performance sport is not something you’re prepared for. .

“I appreciate that I’m very lucky – I can play sports and all that and there are people who are in a much worse position than multi-million pound tennis players, but I think if you haven’t been in this situation, people wouldn’t make it clear.

“Going from an 18-year-old playing in front of no one to all of a sudden playing on Wimbledon center court and being commented on who you are and what you might look like and how you might speak.

“When you are 19/20 you are not prepared for that and it is a big change. Earlier in my career I had a harder time dealing with the press side and the attention than now I have a pretty different perspective on things, so it’s okay. But I can definitely understand how athletes struggle with it. “

Still striving to get back to where he was before his hip surgery and multiple injuries, this could be Murray’s last Wimbledon but he is hopeful it won’t.

“For me, it’s not so much that I’m worried it’s my last, it’s just something I’m thinking about. I’ve had so many injuries and so many setbacks that you don’t really know what’s going on. happens …