Focus on fitness
One of the only players to not suffer from serious injury this year, Murray’s singular focus has been on fitness and nutrition. And despite playing a consistently high level of tennis all year round, the World No. 2 has not seen it impact his body.
Perhaps key in this have been Murray’s strategic choices of tournaments to play. The ace has structured his calendar effectively, meaning that he does not play any ‘unnecessary’ tournaments.
The Scot has picked tournaments that have maximised his skill and minimized stress on his body – thereby avoiding injury. Young top-10 player Dominic Thiem, who is widely regarded as being a potential World No. 1, could perhaps have been higher had he not spent a significant time of his year on smaller ATP250 tournaments that took their physical toll on the player. Thiem, who had started out the 2016 season strongly, suffered a number of early withdrawals and losses later in the season as a result.
It is to the credit of both Murray and his team – headed by Jamie Delgado – that the player has been able to maximise his fitness and stave off injury through the entire season.
