Murray Says No Extra Pressure On Him As He Defends A Major

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 26th August 2013

Murray Says No Extra Pressure On Him As He Defends A Major

epa03836193 British tennis player Andy Murray (R) does a media interview at the US Open Tennis Arthur Ashe Kids' Day in Flushing Meadows, New York, New York, USA, 24 August 2013. The first round of the Open begins on 26 August and runs through 09 September 2013. EPA/PETER FOLEY |

Andy Murray insists he can’t feel much extra pressure as he heads into his Wednesday title defence start of the first grand slam title of his career. “I think there is less pressure. I think before the first match and probably anything before the first match there will be nerves there,” said the Scot in the run-up to Flushing Meadows. “I expect to be pretty nervous because it’s a new experience and it’s different.

“But once the tournament gets going, I don’t think it changes too much. There was a lot of pressure on me for a lot of years to win a grand slam at Wimbledon. I wouldn’t imagine it would be the same here.”

Murray will not start his campaign until Wednesday under the Open’s controversial scheduling system which is now in its death throes through this edition and 2014. For a member of the tennis elite, Murray has kept a relatively low profile during the New York run-up week. “”It’s been a bit busier, but pretty much everything stayed the same. We got here fairly early, so I have had a lot of time practicing on the courts and getting used to the balls and the conditions. It hasn’t been too different, just probably 10-15 per cent busier than normal.

“I did a few more media things, a couple extra sponsor things. Days have just been a little bit longer, so it’s been very important to make sure I, you know, manage my time well and conserve my energy as much as I can away from the court.”

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Ex-Coach Sanchez Tells Murray To Fight For The Number One Ranking

Andy Murray’s ex-mentor Emilio Sanchez, who ran the Barcelona academy where the once-scrawny Scot learned the game after transferring from the chill of his native Scotland as a teenager – is urging the US Open champion to fight for the No. 1 ranking.

The former top 10 Spaniard told the Herald newspaper in Scotland that No. 3 Murray, last month’s Wimbledon winner, should make topping the ATP ranking his next major objective.

“The next goal for him to get to No.1 in the rankings. Now he has won Wimbledon, it should take the pressure off him to succeed and perhaps allow him to enjoy it more. But he still has to find motivation. He is always very determined and professional, but to win more Grand Slams he needs to come back with the same kind of attitude and determination that he showed to win his previous two Grand Slams.

“There are always going to be other people who want to take his place. So we will see how it goes at the US Open. It is coming up to the end of the year, people are getting tired, and it is a difficult tournament to win. But the one who manages to win will be in a very good position to go on and dominate.”

Sanchez, member of a Spanish tennis family dynasty as brother to Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, added: “It’s very difficult to say what is a realistic target for him in terms of slams. He has already won two slams, two very good ones, in the US Open and Wimbledon.

“He is in a good position to challenge for more. But it is not as simple as to say that because you have won two, you are going to win more. It looks like a very good project for him to go on and win more but there are only four Grand Slams a season and you can only tell as time goes on.” Murray was dropped from second behind Novak Djokovic to third as Rafael Nasal won the Cincinnati title.

Topics: Andy Murray, Atp, djokovic, nadal, Tennis, US Open, Wimbledon