Andy Murray is currently away from the sport, nursing a tear in his abdomen, but he's confident about his level when he does compete on the ATP Tour.
Comparatively speaking, Andy Murray is having a much better season this year than last year. You don't have to analyse too much to understand that, as a simple win/loss record proves that. He won 30 matches last year, while his current win total stands at 29 already. It's pretty safe to assume, health permitting, that he will eclipse that number.
We've seen him produce signature comebacks like the one against Thanasi Kokkinakis in Melbourne. We've seen him lift multiple trophies, even if they are challenger trophies. We've seen him play some of the best tennis since the surgery, and it's all because of him giving it his all.
He won't reach the level he had a decade ago, but how could he with a metal hip? Even so, the Brit considers himself among the better player in the world. He's confident that he can be far better than "just" Top 40 in the world.
I had that operation a really long time ago. It has taken lots and lots of hard work and effort to get back to the top 40 in the world and I still feel like before the year’s out that I can push that even higher. I don’t think that this is like the limit for me. I do think that I can get myself much higher.
Yes, it's been one hell of a grind for the Brit, who was determined to prove every doubter wrong. Murray has no shame in admitting that he's at peace even with these results.
He believes he can go further, but even this was beyond his wildest dreams when he started the journey. It's a journey he's pretty proud of. As he said in his talk with The Guardian, you have to keep things in perspective.
Obviously, I’d like to be doing better. I would like to be ranked higher. I’d like to have had more runs at the bigger events and everything. But also, I have to try at times, you have to keep things in perspective. I’m at my highest ranking I’ve been since I had the operation on my hip. I’m really proud of that.