Andy Murray’s ankle holds out on victorious but low-key return

A former world No1 pitching up at a small-time event in search of former glories? Yes, that might be the plot of the recent movie Challengers, but it also describes Andy Murray’s visit to Bordeaux this week.

‌Appearing at the BNP Paribas Primrose, Murray managed a scrappy win on his first appearance since rupturing his ankle ligaments seven weeks ago.

‌The level was not anything to get excited about, and his opponent Kyrian Jacquet retired early in the second set, citing some sort of adductor or hip issue. But still, it was competitive tennis, and that is what Murray was looking for as he builds towards the last few events of his professional career.

‌Playing on a clay court in front of an audience that numbered in the hundreds, Murray started cagily as he tested out his suspect ankle – a joint he elected to build up via strength work rather than undergo an operation.

‌He was also experimenting with a new racket, having unexpectedly ended his 20-year partnership with Head. The new model looked as if it was a Yonex Ezone 100, a frame also used by two-time French Open finalist Casper Ruud, which is intended to give him a little extra pop on his shots.

‌However, there was little sign of any new penetration in the early stages. Murray and Jacquet exchanged service holds until the 11th game, when Murray finally pounced with a break to love. He held his own serve to take the set, and then extended his dominant sequence to five straight games before Jacquet – a 23-year-old who won his own first Challenger title in Italy last October – opted to call it a day.

‌It is difficult to assess how valuable this outing was, given the weakened physical state of his opponent, but at least Murray gets the chance to play another match. He now moves on to face Gregoire Barrere – another Frenchman, but one who stands considerably higher on the ladder at No 115 to Jacquet’s No 219.

‌Just to add to the parallels with the plot of Challengers, one of Murray’s old rivals, Stan Wawrinka, is also using Bordeaux as the build-up event for his own French Open preparations. There is, however, no Zendaya figure for them to squabble over.

‌Asked this week about Murray’s expected retirement after the Paris Olympics, Wawrinka sounded sceptical. “I think when he announced stopping it’s a lot because of the emotion after losing a match,” Wawrinka said, “but I’m not sure he will stop this summer.

‌“I think because he’s passionate about the game, of course he’s in a mixed feeling; when he’s winning or losing it’s not easy with the emotion. But I think as long as he’s passionate and feels competitive, he will keep going.