Murray poised to pounce on title

Rio doubles gold medallist Nadal opens against Istomin, Federer to miss out

New York, Aug. 28: Andy Murray admits he’s playing his best ever tennis as he looks to capitalise on the growing frailties of his rivals and capture a second US Open title. Ahead of Monday’s start to the season’s final Grand Slam, the 29- year- old is the sport’s man of the moment. Since losing the French Open final to Novak Djokovic in June, Murray has won Queen’s Club, a second Wimbledon title and successfully defended his Olympic crown in Rio. His career- best 22match win streak came to a halt at the hands of Marin Cilic in the Cincinnati final last weekend when he simply ran out of gas. But that hasn’t dented his confidence that he can claim a second US Open, four years after his breakthrough in New York saw him become the first British man in 76 years to win a Grand Slam title. At 29, three- time major winner Murray admits he is taking positives from being in the twilight of his career. Murray has played in all of the first three finals of the majors in 2016, losing to world no. 1 Djokovic in Melbourne and Paris.

That’s a feat so rare that only two men have ever achieved it with Rod Laver the most recent in 1969.

The expectations proved too heavy a burden when the 12- time major winner was dumped out of Wimbledon in the third round for his earliest loss at a major in seven years.

Although he then won a record 30th Masters trophy in Toronto, a shock firstround defeat at the Olympics to Juan Martin del Potro and a withdrawal from Cincinnati with a wrist injury suggested all is not well with the 2011 and