Andy Murray

Breaking: Andy Murray ...

Murray upset with late-night drug testing

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP)—Andy Murray had just spent nearly five hours on court in an Australian Open semifinal loss to Novak Djokovic that ran past midnight.

Then he found out drug testers were looking for him.

"Just a bit annoyed ... I know the players go on about it a lot, but they've changed these rules with the drug test,'' Murray said. "I've just done the drug test, the urine test.''

But there was more—a blood test.

"They just told me I need to sit down for 30 minutes before I can give blood,'' Murray said. "I want to get out of here, so I'm annoyed with that, which on top of losing a match like that, it's really a frustrating thing to have to go through at 1:00 in the morning.''

It's not the first time Murray has criticized doping control officials.

At the 2009 U.S. Open, he complained when drug testers visited his Manhattan hotel room at 7:15 a.m. on a day off to test him.

He said at the same time that three days before Wimbledon that year, an anti-doping official came his house in Surrey near London after 9 p.m., even though he had put down 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. as his one-hour "slot'' to be available to drug testers that day.

"I just think it's a little bit in your face, the whole thing,'' Murray said then.

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http://tennis.com/articles/templates/news.aspx?articleid=16112&zoneid=4

another addition to articles on the Murray-Lendl partnership:

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RUSEDSKI: MURRAY 'LUCKY TO HAVE LENDL'

Andy Murray should feel "lucky" to have landed Ivan Lendl as his new coach, according to former British number one Greg Rusedski.

Rusedski feels the eight-time Grand Slam winner's experience will be vital in helping Murray go that one step further and break his major duck.

Speaking to sportinglife.com, the 1997 US Open runner-up also played down concerns that this is Lendl's first job at the highest level of coaching, insisting he is the man to take Murray's game forward.

"Everyone's very excited by the hiring of Ivan Lendl as his new coach," Rusedski said.

"The appointment should give him some of the mental strength that he needs to win a major.

"The mental approach will be key. Murray knows he can beat the likes of (Novak) Djokovic and (Rafael) Nadal in a best-of-three-set match but he needs to do it back-to-back over five sets in the majors.

"It's only half a per cent he's looking for. Lendl knows how to get it done because he's been through it all.

"I think that when you have as much experience as Ivan, it has to be a good thing. He took things to a new level in tennis with the nutrition element and the physical side - he trained harder than anybody."

Rusedski, who will be acting as a pundit for British Eurosport during the Australian Open, has direct experience of Lendl's knowledge and says he will communicate well with Murray.

"Lendl used to give back quite a bit. I once played doubles with him as a wildcard in Dubai and we lost to the Woodies (Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge) - we had a 0-1 record together! - but he gave lots of feedback.

"Later, I know he helped (Pete) Sampras and (Mark) Philippoussis quite a bit.

"He's got his tennis academy in Connecticut and (British junior) Oli Golding spent a week there - he's given a lot back in coaching and helping younger players.

"Some people have been surprised he's taken this job but he's been doing it a little bit for a while. It's great to have him back and Andy's very lucky that Ivan has (returned)."

Rusedski, who has himself moved into coaching by working with the British boys in recent years, expects Murray's on-court rants to disappear under his new mentor, who was renowned for his focus during his playing career.

He added: "He (Lendl) was renowned for his mental approach and that's going to be a big thing in their relationship.

"Murray's had a reputation for getting upset on court but I'd be surprised if the ranting continues. I couldn't imagine that happening with Ivan Lendl in the stands and that's a big positive."
http://bit.ly/w9HauT

Forgot to add the link for the post

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/tennis/andy-murray-blitzes-alexandr-dolgopolov-to-win-brisbane-international-final/story-fn793zm5-1226239263150

Andy Murray blitzes Alexandr Dolgopolov to win Brisbane International final

ANDY Murray declared he can win the Australian Open after winning the Brisbane International, his 22nd career title, in commanding style.

The world No.4 dominated Ukraine's Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-1 6-3, an ideal preparation for the Australian Open, in which Murray has been runner-up for the past two years.

The Scot gradually built his performances throughout the Brisbane tournament and reached a stunning crescendo yesterday.

He said he was a better player than 12 months ago.

"I'm a year wiser, I have a year more experience and I think I've improved a few things in my game," Murray said.

"I still played pretty good last year in Australia. I could play great tennis again and lose in the second round or the third round, that's how tennis works sometimes.

"But equally I could win the tournament if I play my best. So I just need to show up, give 100 per cent every single point. If someone plays a great match to beat me, then that happens, but if I play well like I did this week I give myself a good chance."

Murray's movement was severely wanting in his first two matches, but by the end of his 64-minute demolition of world No.15 Dolgopolov he left no doubt that he would be a serious threat again at the Open, starting January 16.

Murray raced through the first set in only 27 minutes with two breaks of serve and powerful groundstrokes.

They were locked at one-all in the first set, before Murray took control winning the next nine consecutive games in a one-sided contest. Dolgopolov finally broke the run in the fifth game of the second set, thrusting both arms in the air to warm applause from a sell-out crowd willing him back into the match at Pat Rafter Arena.

Dolgopolov was clearly restricted by the groin strain he suffered in his semi-final the previous day, but he kept fighting and even broke Murray's serve to get back to 3-4 in the second set.

Murray lost only five points on his first serve throughout the match.

And he thundered down nine aces in another sign he is in form to break his Grand Slam drought.

"I could maybe have just been a little bit more clinical if I was being a bit critical, but apart from that it was very good," said Murray, who planned to fly to Melbourne last night.

He is due to play David Nalbandian in a one-off exhibition match at Kooyong on Friday.

Dolgopolov was confident he would be fit for the Australian Open, where he lost to Murray in the quarter-finals last year.

He will play an exhibition in Adelaide on Tuesday.

"I couldn't move much on the right leg," Dolgopolov said. "I just tried to do my best and still stay on the court because the stadium was full and you don't want to pull out of something like that.

"You don't want to also get injured, so it was a fine line to keep healthy, not get worse, and stay out there."

Darren Cahill tells the London Times that he is still willing to consult with Andy Murray, but that he will not step on Ivan Lendl’s toes. Murray hired eight-time Grad Slam champion Lendl to be his full time coach this week. Cahill works with adidas Player Development and advised Murray (who is an adidas player) last year.

"Getting a good person alongside like Ivan is crucial is for Andy," said Cahill. "It’s time for them to get to know each other and they need their space. I was there at the first meeting in Miami last month. We sat down for three hours talking about tennis and I thought Ivan was inspiring. The fact he has never coached before is irrelevant. He understands the sport and the way he used to go about his game was the benchmark of a professional athlete. Who knows where the personalities will end up, but what I’m very confident about is, at the end of this, whether it lasts six months or six years, Andy will be a better player and person for it."

http://www.tennis.com/articles/templates/news.aspx?articleid=15620&zoneid=25

ANDY Murray arrived in Australia this morning with three wishes for his Brisbane international debut - matches, matches and more matches.

The Scot, in search of his first Grand Slam title, looked lean and focused after spending the off season training at his base in the US.

There was no talk of titles, only a desire to hit the ground running ahead of the season's first major the Australian Open.

"I feel pretty fit and have been doing a lot of work,"said the world No.4.

"Everyone wants to get some matches in because its been a long break."

Only world No.1 Novak Djokovic enjoyed more tournament success than Murray last season.

He was on track for a big flurry to end the year before being slowed by a groin injury.

Murray begins his Brisbane International campaign on Tuesday night.

http://p.twimg.com/AhyTFT_CIAA6FP3.jpg

A warning in Murray's own words in case he loses another final of a major.
Will re-post this if he does:

Andy Murray tells the Daily Mail that after falling to Novak Djokovic in straight sets in the Australian Open final that it took him several months to get over it.

"I don’t think a defeat has ever taken longer to get out of my system," said Murray, who suffered three consecutive first round losses after he left Melbourne. "The Australian Open takes place in January, so in December I decamped to Miami to prepare. I spent Christmas Day alone, running on the beach. It could be worse, I know, but everyone else is with their family, and all you keep thinking is, 'Don’t worry, it’s all going to be worthwhile.' So to get so close and lose hits you doubly hard, because of all you’ve given up. All that effort for not quite. Then everyone wants to console you, which is the last thing you need. You really don’t want to be hear, 'You’re doing great and it’s going to happen if you keep working hard' because you’re thinking, 'Look, I am working hard, and it hasn’t happened, so don’t keep telling me that.' There are moments when you don’t want pepping up, you don’t even want to speak to people. There is nobody who can help. You are the only one who can deal with it. By March, I simply felt terrible. I hated practicing. Everything was wrong."

Murray injury latest:

Andy Murray withdrew from the Swiss Indoors on Wednesday shortly before his match with Dutchman Robin Haase with a right gluteal muscle strain.
The world No.3 was replaced in the draw by Swiss Marco Chiudinelli.
The pullout came after Murray, winner of three titles last month in Asia, had requested a wild card into the event featuring rivals Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.
Murray said that he woke up early on Tuesday with the pain in his buttock.
``I was struggling to walk,'' said Murray.
``I had trained twice on Monday and felt fine after that.
``It was a bit better later on Tuesday morning and I went to a pool for some exercises and had a light hit. But this morning (Wednesday) I knew it was still not good enough.
``I don't know how I did it or what it came from. I've never had anything like this before.''
Murray's withdrawal opens the door for Basel-born Chiudinelli, whose wild card was ironically withdrawn by the tour in order to give it to Murray at late notice last week.
The Scot said that his personal physio and doctor suspect the problem might be linked to the sciatic nerve.
Murray said he would travel to Paris on Thursday and take four or five days off with anti-inflammatory treatment in hopes of being fit for the final event of the regular ATP season starting on Monday, the Paris Masters.

AAP.

Nice little article about Murray and his pespective on this year and his recent good form.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2011/11/44/Basel-Preview-Murray-Eying-More-Silverware.aspx

Source ATP website