The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Murray planning for 2015 to be the best yet
Opening loss in London was but a blip
Andy Murray remains confident he is on course to be back to his best in 2015 despite a disappointing start to his ATP World Tour Finals campaign.
After a season spent struggling for form following back surgery last September, a run of three titles from six consecutive tournaments appeared to have restored Murray’s confidence and match toughness.
He headed to the O2 Arena with hopes high but his momentum came to a shuddering halt with a straight-sets loss to Kei Nishikori.
The result means his chances of reaching the semi- finals and getting back into the world’s top four have both been severely compromised, but Murray said: “I feel like I’ve played well for most of the events since the French Open. But to beat the best players consistently, I need to be playing atmy top level all the time or close to it.
“At the beginning of the year it was hard, because before I had my surgery, I was consistently there. When you come back and you aren’t quite there, that’s obviously frustrating.
“Over time I got used to that, and started to understand why that might happen. So I think it’s been a fairly normal process.
“It’s something I’ve had to learn a lot this year. I’m sure I’ll be good next year.”
Murray highlighted the difference in points won on second serve as the biggest factor in Sunday’s match,
“I need to be playing at my top level all the time or close to it”
with the Scot coming out on top just 26% of the time.
Second serve has been the weakest part of Murray’s game throughout his career.
It improved under the tutelage of Ivan Lendl, acquiring more kick, but this season it has been generally poor.
Former British number one Greg Rusedski put the problems down to Murray having changed his ball toss since surgery.
But the Scot insisted he had not made any deliberate changes, saying: “The problems I was having with my back didn’t cause me any problems when I was serving. That was one of the shots that it really didn’t affect.
“I hope it hasn’t changed it too much. At the end of the year what I will do is actually have a look at some video of before my surgery and now to see if things have evolved or things have changed in my game.”
Murray’s immediate focus is to try to keep his hopes of reaching the last four in London alive by beating Milos Raonic tonight.
The Canadian lost his opener to Roger Federer in straight sets but has beaten Murray in three of their previous four meetings, most recently in Indian Wells in March.
Raonic said: “It’s a completely different match.
“Things are going to be quite different than the first match. We both have more of an idea what we need to do different for the next round. It’s going to be about who adjusts better, who can play better.”
The 23-year-old has qualified for the eight- man event for the first time and admitted adjusting to the format is a challenge. “I get pretty angry when I lose, so I’m going to have to learn how to slap myself out of it,” he said.