Andy Murray continues to 'build confidence' with battling win at DDF Tennis Championships

Andy Murray has never given up belief. Not when he went four Grand Slam finals without winning a title, not when he required a radical hip resurfacing operation to save his career, and not now, during the worst run of his exemplary career.

So, a one-set deficit in the first round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, even amid a dismal start to the season, was never going to register high on Murray’s lengthy list of conquered adversities.

The former world No 1 had looked on course for a fifth first-round exit in his sixth tournament of 2024 when he trailed by a set to Denis Shapovalov and struggled to withstand a barrage from the free-wheeling Canadian. But in typical, grinding Murray style, he refused to buckle and for the first time this season, he came out on top in the clutch moments to secure a 4-6, 7-6, 6-3 victory.

Shapovalov, a former world No 10, is enduring his own tough start to the year as he makes his way back from an injury-hit 2023, but nevertheless this was an important win for Murray in his bid to end his recent rut. This was only his second win of the year but comes a week after his first, in Doha.

“Winning matches is what gives confidence,” the three-time Grand Slam champion said. “A lot of people believe that you can improve your confidence by working hard away from the court. The number one thing in sport that builds confidence is winning matches. That's my belief and what I've experienced.

“There have been some signs of progress the last couple of weeks, I would say. It's obviously not exactly where I'd want it to be, but it's better than where it was.”

Murray’s difficult run, which involved losing his first four matches of the year and saw his ranking slide from 42 to 67, led some critics to