Andy Murray expects his body to adapt to best-of-five-sets matches at US Open

Andy Murray is backing his body to be able to come through best-of-five-sets matches at this year's US Open, which he calls "weird" with no fans in attendance.

Murray has not played a best-of-five-sets singles match since having a metal plate inserted into his hip in January 2019.

He takes on Japanese Yoshihito Nishioka on Arthur Ashe Stadium on Tuesday (at 5pm BST, which we will be covering game-by-game through our live blog).

But the 33-year-old former champion at Flushing Meadows is in determined mood that his body will be able to cope with the demands of long Grand Slam matches.

I think it will (my body) adjust to what it is required to do.

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"The day off (in between matches) helps for sure," he said. "Last week was tough, the day after the match with (Alexander) Zverev, but it was also the first match I had played, matches I had played, in 10 months.

"So playing two two-and-a-half-hour matches in the heat of the day was difficult. But my body will learn fast.

"It has been playing tennis matches its whole life. I think it will adjust to what it is required to do. It might just take a bit of time because it has not done it for a while."

Murray added he is bracing himself for the "weird" experience of playing at the tournament without any fans with the US Open being played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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"I think mentally it's going to be difficult for the players," he said. "It is difficult, but the level of tennis is what's important.

"If you can sort of block all of the weirdness of playing without a crowd, like, on big stadiums and stuff. I actually felt OK doing that last week. It didn't feel too bad in the matches.

"It will be tricky. I play my first match on Arthur Ashe. I played some of the best atmospheres that I've ever played in tennis on that court.

"To go out there on such a huge stadium and have literally no one in the stands is going to be weird. I know that's going to be the case, so at least I can prepare for it mentally.

"It's different, but I'm just looking forward to getting to compete in a slam again."

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