"Andy Murray has a bit of a chip on his shoulder" - Prakash Amritraj believes Briton great wants to 'earn back respect' as he continues impressive run

Andy Murray has a 'chip on his shoulder' that comes with a willingness to earn back his respect and prove a point, according to Prakash Amritraj. In that regard, the former player-turned-commentator believes extra motivation will help Murray even further as he continues to build on his impressive start to the season.

Murray pulled off another thrilling win on Thursday, beating Tomas Etcheverry 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-4 in the opening round of Indian Wells 2023. It was the three-time Grand Slam champion's seventh match win this season, all coming in deciding sets, including two five-set wins at the Australian Open. Murray now has an average match time of 3 hours and 7 minutes this season.

As the 35-year-old player with a metal hip continues to dig deep and pull off hard-fought victories, Amritraj shared his views on Murray's start to 2023, speaking after his opening round win at Indian Wells.

"I think he's got a little bit of a chip on his shoulder, in a good way," Prakash Amritraj told Tennis Channel. "He has something to prove. When you're No. 1 in the world, you're trying to hold it. Now, you're trying to earn that respect back."

"For a champion as great as he is, a little extra motivation makes a difference," he added.

Amritraj believes Murray is one of the hardest workers in tennis in recent memory, highlighting how the Brit is still focusing on becoming more efficient despite his fitness issues over the years. The 39-year-old termed Murray's work ethic during his pre-injury peak years the "stuff that legends are made of."

"Confidence, to me, really comes from the work that you put in. Over the last 20 years, its tough to find someone who works harder than Andy Murray," Amritraj stated.

"Even at this stage of his career, he's finding ways to be more efficient with his body. Back in the day, his roadwork was stuff that legends are made of."

Murray will face 15th seed Pablo Carreno Busta in the second round on Sunday.

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Chanda Rubin praises Andy Murray for continuing to fight despite multiple challenges

Andy Murray in action at Indian Wells 2023.

Former American player Chanda Rubin also lavished praise on Andy Murray for his ability to fight and raise his level when it matters most in tense matches. Rubin pointed out that losing crucial matches affects players a lot more in the latter stages of their careers, but Murray has been able to brush aside the disappointment and emerge victorious, lauding him for the same.

"He has this renewed intensity and motivation," Rubin expressed.

"You think about a player getting to the latter stages of their career, everything means a bit more. When you lose opportunities, you don't get them, they can hurt a bit more and that can linger. But Andy Murray just seems to put it out of his mind, he keeps fighting, he raises his level."

Murray is already back inside the Top-60 in the ATP rankings and the World No. 55 has a great chance to comfortably break inside the Top-50 with strong runs in both Indian Wells and Miami. He has already matched last year's result at Indian Wells and only has points to gain now. Additionally, the two-time Wimbledon champion will defend only 25 points in Miami.