Murray no longer feeling under pressure to win
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ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Andy Murray is feeling less pressure after winning his first Grand Slam title and credits coach Ivan Lendl with having made the difference at the US Open.
The third-ranked Briton ensured 2012 was the best year of his career by adding the title at Flushing Meadows to his gold medal from the London Olympics. As a result, he will enter the Australian Open next month with a different mindset.
"In the last three, four or five years there has been significant pressure in my mind, and now I feel more relaxed and relieved after winning the US Open," Murray said Wednesday. "So, I think from my side, I hope to take the pressure off myself and be able to play a little bit more relaxed - and I hope to repeat my Grand Slam win.
"I don't know how I will feel going into the first round of Australian Open, so it will be a new feeling for me and I just have to deal with it." Murray was speaking at a news conference to promote a winner-takes-all US$250,000 (S$306,000) exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi that will serve as part of his preparations for the Australian Open, which runs from Jan 14-27.
