Andy Murray faces tough US Open test in first round amid struggles with cramp

Along with the lofty task of battling one of the best tennis players in the world, Andy Murray will also have to focus on the mundane chore of loading himself with fluids and remaining hydrated as he attempts to move on from a challenging hard‑court swing, during which he struggled badly with cramping.

Murray underwent sweat and blood tests during the past week, which both came back clear, indicating an issue with his hydration, condition or environment.

“I’ll probably try to monitor it closer when I’m playing the match and just be a bit more precise with that stuff,” Murray said. “Usually I’m pretty good with it but it’s quite a fine balance to make sure that you are getting the right fluids and stuff when you’re on court.”

Murray will start his 2022 US Open campaign on Monday against Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo, the 24th seed. Ten years on from his first grand slam triumph at Flushing Meadows in 2012, Murray looked back on the breakthrough as a “huge moment” in his career. He had arrived in the final against Novak Djokovic having lost all four of his previous grand slam finals, doubts swirling in his head.

“At the time, that was a huge moment for me,” he said. “I’d been put under a lot of pressure to try and achieve that.

“A lot of what I’d achieved in my career up to that point it felt, to me anyway, kind of irrelevant because of the questions I’d continued to get asked about winning slams. Am I good enough? Am I fit enough? And am I mentally strong enough?”

After his victory and his media rounds, Murray returned to the silent, empty court as he processed his success. “I was very proud of myself, I felt very relaxed in that moment. I didn’t feel like going wild and celebrating and that sort of stuff. After