Andy Murray has great admiration for fellow tour veterans Stanislas Wawrinka and Richard Gasquet and says he stays in touch with the pair.
Murray has played Gasquet 13 times in his decorated career and a former Grand Slam-chasing rival in Wawrinka 22 times.
“Me and Stan always stayed in touch during the injuries,” Murray told reporters after Wawrinka also won his first-round match against qualifier Aleksandar Vukic after four years away from Indian Wells. “I mean not daily but messages here and there.
“We always got on very well together and obviously have shared the court many times with each other and stuff.
“We always sort of message each other and stayed in touch through the injuries.”
Murray says he enjoys watching the 35-year-old still compete at the highest level on the tour and believes that the Frenchman and Wawrinka must still “love the sport”.
“Gasquet, I was really happy for him when he won the tournament in Auckland earlier this year,” he said. “I think he maybe sometimes doesn’t get the respect he deserves.
“He’s been an incredible player for such a long time and just love seeing guys that maybe are not at their peak. But they’re still out there giving everything, competing because they love the sport.
“You know, I practiced with them last year at this tournament. I was chatting with Gasquet about it like ‘how long are you going to play’ and he was asking me.
“He was still saying he still loves playing and loves competing. That can take you a long way.
“He’s also an incredibly talented guy but you know, the love for the sport is still there clearly to be playing as well as he is at his age.”
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