In case you forgot: Andy Murray played the 2022 US Open with a metal hip

WATCH: Murray spoke to the media after scoring his first win of the US Open swing in Cincinnati.

NEW YORK—Andy Murray has often set high expectations since returning to action after undergoing a hip resurfacing, but it was after a punishing four-set US Open encounter with 2021 Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini that the former world No. 1 opted to give himself a little credit.

“I'm surprised that I was able to compete as well as I did with someone that's as good as him with, you know, the situation that I'm in,” he said somewhat obliquely in his post-match press conference.

Asked to clarify the situation, Murray replied in classic fashion.

“No, I've got a metal hip. It's not easy playing with that. It's really difficult.”

Friday marked only his second match against a Top 10 player in best-of-five, having nearly upset Stefanos Tsitsipas at the US Open last year, but winning just one match during the North American hard-court swing, just getting onto Ashe Stadium to play Berrettini was a victory.

“Matches like this, you know, I'm really proud that I have worked myself into a position where I'm able to do that. I'm really disappointed that, you know, I didn't get over the line today. But I get reminded like this is the first time you've made the third round here since 2016. It's been six years. It's been a difficult six years for me. It's been really hard.”

Though such persistent hardships may be enough to make another play consider retirement, Murray sounded galvanized by the result in Flushing Meadows—the site of his first major victory in 2012—and eager to build on it heading into the fall.

“Although it's the first time I've only made the third round here, I'm really proud of that effort that I put into to get myself back into these positions. So, I'm hoping that in the future I can go further, but considering, I did all right.”