Andy Murray not concerned with losing No1 spot: My only goal is to win Wimbledon
REUTERS Andy Murray has conceded he will likely lose his No1 spot
This time last year Murray launched himself on an incredible run which took him to the top of the world. But as he prepares to return to his favourite surface at Queen’s next week, he knows his position is temporary but Grand Slams are permanent. “It’s most likely I’ll lose the No1 spot,” said Murray. “No one has held it forever. It will inevitably happen. “But I’m not trying to win Wimbledon for ranking points. I want to win Wimbledon. That’s my goal.” After losing to Novak Djokovic in the French Open final last year, Murray was beaten only twice on Tour before the season’s end, by Marin Cilic in the Cincinnati final, and Kei Nishikori in the US Open quarter-final. He collected seven titles, and an Olympic gold medal for good measure.
GETTY Andy Murray is focused on winning Grand Slams with Wimbledon up next
But I’m not trying to win Wimbledon for ranking points Andy Murray
But the first few months of his reign as world No1 have been a struggle. He left the Australian Open in the fourth round and then suffered shingles, an elbow injury and a virus that made most of Spring a struggle. But over the last fortnight in Paris he found some of his old self, and a run to the French Open semi-finals has whetted his appetite for the grass-court swing. “I was starting to win some matches when I wasn’t playing my best,” said Murray. “I was competing better, making better decisions on the court and finding ways to get through. I was starting a bit slow but finding ways to turn it around. When you’re playing a lot of matches and gaining confidence that makes a big difference. “I was quite a long way from where I wanted to be in terms of my game – that’s why I got back on the practice court soon after Paris because there’s lots of little things I could do better.
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“But I’m pumped. I enjoy this period the most of the whole season. I’m living at home, I love playing on the grass and I’ve had a lot of success at Queen’s and at Wimbledon.” A lot of that is down to Murray’s strength of mind as much as strength of body – although he insists the two go hand-in-hand. One of the best returners in the game, he knows that if he is in good physical shape, he will be ready when the critical moments come. “The matches I got in Paris will have made me fitter, and grass is not so physically demanding. You play a lot shorter points, it’s more the mental side that’s important,” he said. “On clay the matches are a lot more up and down but you have to be very focused on the grass. One or two points can change a set. You can’t be giving games away, playing sloppy games.
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