Andy Murray has no 'timeframe' on retirement after battling to first win of 2023 at Kooyong Classic

Updated 11/01/2023 at 08:47 GMT

Andy Murray recorded his first victory of the 2023 tennis season as he came from behind to beat No. 97 Zhang Zhizhen at the Kooyong Classic in Melbourne. Murray said afterwards he still "loves the sport" and has no plans on retirement yet. There were also wins for Cameron Norrie in Auckland and Jack Draper in Adelaide ahead of the 2023 Australian Open.

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Andy Murray says he has no “timeframe” on retirement after battling to his first win of the season.

Murray, 35, rallied to beat world No. 97 Zhang Zhizhen 2-6 6-3 10-2 at the Kooyong Classic, which is an exhibition event in Melbourne.

The former world No. 1 said over the off-season that he is one “big injury” away from retirement after undergoing hip surgery in 2018 and 2019.

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However, he has no plans to hang up his racquet soon.

"I still love hitting tennis balls, I'm fortunate I'm able to do it at a high level, it's not the level that it was five or six years ago but... I love the sport,” he said.

"I've been healthy the last seven months. I'm not awakening with aches and pains like in the last few years.

"As long as the body holds up well and I'm training properly and performing to a level I'm enjoying, then I will keep going. But I don't have a timeframe [for retirement]."

Murray reached two ATP Tour finals in 2022 and played the most matches since 2016, when he reached world No. 1 and won his third Grand Slam title.

He lost the opening five games against Zhang but hit back in the second set and then controlled the match tie-break to seal victory.

"He served well and was taking my time away but I managed to gradually improve as the match went on,” said Murray, who will be unseeded at the 2023 Australian Open, which starts on January 16.

British No. 1 Cameron Norrie reached the quarter-finals of the Auckland Open with a 6-4 6-7(4) 6-3 win over Jiri Lehecka.

Rain again hit the tournament, just as it did last week during the women’s event, and Norrie’s match had to be moved indoors.

It lasted nearly six hours before Norrie, who grew up in New Zealand, sealed the win.

“It's tough on the concentration,” said Norrie. “Credit to him [Lehecka], he really took it to me.

"I really enjoyed the time on centre court, it's good to be back in New Zealand. I'm just a little bit disappointed I couldn't talk in front of (the crowd)."

Jack Draper produced a strong serving display to reach the quarter-finals of the Adelaide International 2.

Draper won 88% of his first-serve points and fired 10 ten aces in a 6-4 6-4 win over Tommy Paul.

He next faces third seed Karen Khacanov, who beat Draper in last week's tournament in Adelaide.

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