By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday June 18, 2024
1000 matches – and 739 wins – into his ATP career, Andy Murray is still pushing on.
The 37-year-old pushed past Alexei Popyrin 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 on Tuesday in London, notching his first tour-level win since the Miami Open and setting up a second-round encounter with Australia’s Jordan Thompson.
The match was Murray’s 1000 at ATP level, making him one of just five active players to have played as many.
The five-time champion says he didn’t realize that he was playing his milestone 1000th match until his mom let him know before he took the court.
“I didn’t realise, but my mum told me before the match that this was my 1000th match on the Tour,” Murray said after improving his career grass court record to 119-29. “A lot of matches and a lot of wear and tear in the body and it is not easy but I managed to push through.”
Two-time Wimbledon champion Murray improves to 32-9 lifetime at historic Queen’s Club – he first appeared at the event in 2005. Overall, Murray is just 6-11 on the season.
He needed one hour and 51 minutes to get past the Aussie, thanks to nine aces and two break points converted. The 129th-ranked Scot broke in the second game of the deciding set and never faced a break point as he finished off the victory over the qualifier.
“I have not got too many wins this year, it has been a difficult season but did well to come through in the end. Held quite a few tight service games and managed to serve it out well.”
Active Players with 1000 or More Matches
Novak Djokovic, 1324 (1105-219)
Rafael Nadal, 1300 (1075-225)
Fernando Verdasco, 1006 (559-447)
Richard Gasquet, 1004 (605-399)
Andy Murray (1000) – 739-261
