Andy Murray made a successful return to action after his recent illness
(Picture: Getty Images)Andy Murray admitted it is a challenge to “keep up” with the younger generation of tennis stars but he did just that to reach the second round of the Gijon Open.
The 35-year-old missed last week’s Astana Open through illness but returned to action in Spain as he beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 7-5 6-2 after receiving a wildcard into the tournament.
Murray said: “It’s not easy because the young guys are moving unbelievably well and they’re hitting the ball harder and harder all the time.
“So it’s difficult to keep up, but I still enjoy it.”
Murray, who last played at the Laver Cup in London last month, dropped serve in the opening game against his 23-year-old opponent and had to save break points in two of his next three service games to stay in touch.
He got his reward for that effort in the eighth game when he got back on serve and another break in the 12th game earned him the opening set.
Murray maintained his momentum by moving ahead early in the second and finished strongly to set up a second-round clash with either Pedro Cachin or Alexey Vatutin.
“The first set he was playing much better than me and had a lot of chances to get the second break of serve, and I managed to stay tough in those moments,” added Murray.
“The 4-3 game, he played a bad game to give me a break and after that I started to play a little bit better. In the second set his level dropped a little bit.”
Emma Raducanu meanwhile is set to focus her attentions on working with Murray’s former fitness coach Jez Green after splitting from Dmitry Tursunov.
The British teenager is now on the hunt for a fifth coach in 16 months, with it reported that it was Tursunov’s decision to end the partnership despite Raducanu’s desire to continue working with the Russian.
The 19-year-old is looking to put her injury woes behind her with Green, afte withdrawing from last week’s Transylvania Open with a wrist problem.
Raducanu is hoping to return at the Billie Jean King Cup finals in Glasgow in December, when she is set to lead the Great Britain team.
