ATP/WTA Tour: 4 players to watch out for in the 2019 season

Modified Nov 23, 2018 17:02 GMT

Former World Number 5 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has been hampered by injuries throughout 2018. He will be one of the players looking to rise up the ATP rankings in 2019

#4 Andy Murray

The one player that the entire world will be looking at with heightened expectations going into 2019 is Andy Murray. The former World Number 1 has fallen off the charts owing to a long-term hip injury.

A series of tournaments missed since the 2017 US Open meant that Andy Murray lost his status as the top-ranked British player to Kyle Edmund for the first time since 2006. Murray went through rigorous match preparation drills at the famous Patrick Mouratoglou Academy in Nice, France.

Although still not a 100%, Murray decided to play at the Queen's Club Championships only to lose to Nick Kyrgios in the 1st round. A second-round loss at Eastbourne International followed. Murray was forced to pull out of Wimbledon as he was not physically ready to fulfill the demands of 5-set tennis.

He dropped to a lowly 839 in the ATP rankings and followed it up with a second-round exit at the US Open, losing to Verdasco. At Shenzhen, China, he was again beaten by Verdasco in the quarter-finals after notching a win over top-seed David Goffin. An ankle issue flared up prompting him to call an end to his season.

Murray looks determined to make an instant impact in 2019 and his motivation is clearly seen from the videos that he has posted on Instagram. Bouncing off trampolines, performing handstands and other gymnastic exercises are some of the offbeat things that Murray has been up to in the off-season working with famed reconditioning specialist, Bill Knowles.

From the video below it is evident that Murray doesn't want to be left behind and is eager to win trophies just like the other 3 members of the Big 4 have been doing in 2018.