During US Open: Andy Murray plays Challenger tournament with Rafael Nadal
Comeback man Andy Murray will try his luck at the same time as the US Open in Mallorca.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Aug 22, 2019, 01:54 pm
As already halfway announced by him, after his single comeback, Andy Murray will try to get game practice at smaller events. His first appearance on the ATP Challenger Circuit is taking place at Rafael Nadal's tournament in Mallorca.
Murray will be playing at the Challenger level for the first time since participating in the tournament in Mons, Belgium in 2005. He had celebrated two tournament victories in the Challenger area at the time before he quickly went on the ATP tour.
Most recently, the three-time major champ had returned to the singles tour after his double comeback, but had lost directly to Richard Gasquet in appearances in Cincinnati and Tennys Sandgren in Winston-Salem. He had refrained from appearing at the US Open due to the five-set load, but later regretted it. Murray ultimately abandoned the original plan to start in doubles and mixed because he wanted to get fit for the individual again. Participation in Mallorca is therefore the logical step for the Scots.
Due to his injury, Murray is only 329 in the current world rankings.
Rafa Nadal Open: Tickets are free
The list of participants in the Rafa Nadal Open is quite impressive: In addition to draft horse Murray, Peter Gojowczyk, Matthias Bachinger, Tobias Kamke, Yannick Maden, Mats Moraing and Mischa Zverev also registered from a German perspective. From Austria are Dennis Novak and Lucas Miedler.
This is not Murray's first visit to the Nadal facility: In July 2016, he was already preparing for the US hard court season here, shortly after his second Wimbledon victory.
Best of all, tickets for the Rafa Nadal Open are available for free print-out from the official website . So if you are currently in Mallorca - just have a look!