 Andy Murray will soon be ranked inside the world's top 10 |
Andy Murray is aiming to make an impact on the hard courts of America later this summer, believing he can be a major force at the US Open. The 21-year-old Scot is guaranteed to enter the world's top 10 after reaching the Wimbledon quarter-finals. And he said: "I feel more comfortable playing on the American hard courts. "On grass there are fewer guys that play well, but (hard courts) are still my favourite surface. I've had some of my best results on those courts." Although it is common for British pros to be best suited to grass, Murray believes the US Open in September, rather than Wimbledon, represents his best chance of success in a Grand Slam. He said: "Wimbledon and the US Open are my two best opportunities. "I think I've got a chance of winning Wimbledon, but the US Open has always been the one that I felt was best suited to my game." In his three visits to Flushing Meadows, he has enjoyed mixed success.  | 606: DEBATE |
He reached the second round in 2005, the fourth round in 2006 and the third round last year, when he lost in four sets to an in-form Lee Hyung-Taik 6-3 6-3 2-6 7-5. Murray is planning to play three events, in Indianapolis (starting 14 July), Toronto (21 July) and Cincinnati (28 July) and the Beijing Olympics, which is due to finish on 17 August, in the run-up to the US Open, which begins on 25 August. The Scot is likely to go out to the States early to acclimatise and practice. He will do so knowing that while his campaign of fitness and strength over the past eight months paid dividends at Wimbledon there is much more work to do. The one universal criticism surrounded his second serve, usually sent down below 100mph and rarely in areas that were difficult to return. Rafael Nadal, who beat Murray in straight sets on Wednesday, was able to dominate the Briton whenever he missed his first serve.
| 
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
Bookmark with:
What are these?