Drastic change Andy Murray has just made ahead of retirement was two years in the making

Andy Murray has made a drastic change just months before his retirement as he is trialling a Yonex racket at this week’s Bordeaux Challenger. The former world No. 1 has used Head equipment for his entire professional career but is trying something new, even though he announced that he would stop playing this summer. But the change appears to be two years in the making, as Murray previously informed Andy Roddick of his intense racket testing methods.

Murray is trying to squeeze every last drop out of his career after sharing his plans to hang up his racket this year. The three-time Grand Slam champion is known for having a high tennis IQ, often going above and beyond in his attempts to maximise his performance.

Despite being in his twilight, the world No. 77 is doing everything he can to keep improving, and his latest attempts to rediscover his best form involve a dramatic change of equipment. Murray has switched racket brands for the first time in his career, as he has been seen practising with a Yonex in Bordeaux this week and will use it in his opening match.

It’s a drastic decision, as even changing the specifications of a racket can have a significant impact on a player’s game. But it’s not the first time Murray has gone to extreme lengths to put his tools to the test, even if it is his biggest switch-up yet.

The Brit has spent at least two years trying to find the perfect racket, using advanced technology to see which model was the most effective when it comes to hitting his shots. In March, retired star Andy Roddick revealed that Murray reached out to him and doubles legend Bob Bryan while conducting a meticulous experiment with his equipment.

“He was on one about the rackets a couple of years ago and he had me and Bob Bryan on a text and he was like, what do you think? More space. I was like, I don’t know,” the 2003 US Open winner said on his Served podcast.

“He rented out a court and kept the shot spot live and active so that when he was using different rackets, it wasn’t based on feelings. It was based on an entire read-out, shot profile. He rented out a court with shot spot technology after he had lost in Cincinnati one year and then sends us all the read outs. I’m like, Bro I don’t know, your math is great, I have no idea. I would have to see how the ball is coming off or feel it, I don’t know what this is.”