Andy Murray is hoping Sunday's European Open title win can act as a springboard for a climb up the rankings.
Less than nine months after undergoing hip surgery, Murray saw off Stan Wawrinka to win his first tournament since 2017 with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory in Antwerp.
The result catapulted him 116 places up the world rankings to No127.
Murray said: “I need to now start talking more about my future and I am certainly a lot more optimistic now. I didn’t feel prepared really to win because I wasn’t expecting it.”
Murray had warned in January at the Australian Open that his first-round defeat might be his last ever match.
But having worked back from hip resurfacing surgery, he admitted he can be competitive again.
He said: “I still hit the ball the same and can serve better than the past couple of years. I made the quarters of Wimbledon when I was pretty much on one leg.
“So I was like, ‘if I could get my leg strong again, I’m in a different spot’. I just thought it would take longer to get to this point but obviously I’m happy that it hasn’t.”
