Monday 31 August 2015 17:51, UK
Mats Wilander is backing Andy Murray to win more grand slam titles but says the Scotsman's body language is still a key weakness against his fellow top players.
Murray is likely to be the calmest man on court when he begins his US Open campaign against controversial Australian Nick Kyrgios live on Sky Sports on Tuesday, but the British No 1 remains his own harshest critic when struggling in the heat of a battle.
After his straight sets win over Kyrgios in their most recent meeting in the French Open third round, Murray took to social media to apologise for his colourful language which had been picked up by some television microphones.
Murray is looking for his third grand slam title, his second at Flushing Meadows, and he arrives in New York in good form after recently beating Novak Djokovic in Montreal to end a run of eight straight defeats against the world No 1.
Beating Djokovic over five sets at a grand slam is likely to prove an altogether more difficult task but along with Roger Federer, Murray is one of the few capable of preventing the Serb from claiming a third major title this year.
Wilander, a seven-time major champion, said. "I think when you can beat Novak Djokovic in the final of a Masters tournament, you are going to be OK,"
"Jonas Bjorkman is going to help Andy a lot, Amelie Mauresmo has already helped him a lot, and I think Andy is going to win another grand slam title, or even two or three.
"His body language is getting better all the time, he seems happier, and I think he showed at Wimbledon that he's a different person now.
"He'll always have a fight with himself in terms of body language, on the outside, but on the inside I think it seems that he is calmer, more relaxed.
"It's always a work in progress, just like anybody's weakness. It's always a work in progress, and Andy's weakness is his body language."
Kyrgios is still fighting off criticism for his vulgar remarks made towards Stan Wawrinka three weeks ago and will have to be on his best behaviour in New York as he sits on a suspended 28-day ban and a 25,000 US dollars fine.
"Obviously Nick Kyrgios went a bit too far," Swede Wilander said.
"He is so up and down emotionally, but it's not a good enough excuse to say that he's young, because he's also highly experienced.
"He needs to clean up his act if he's going to win a big tournament."
The Australian is yet to take a set off Murray in three attempts but the 20-year-old has form for upsetting big names after victories over Federer and, most famously, Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon last year.
A shock win over Murray would put Kyrgios on course for a mouth-watering reunion with Wawrinka in the quarter-finals, but Wilander believes it is too soon for him to contend a major title.
"There's a chance that Nick Kyrgios could raise his game very quickly," Wilander added. "But at the same time, no I don't really see there being a surprise.
"Djokovic is too good, I think Federer is there and I think Andy Murray will pick up if Djokovic or Federer loses.
"Murray will be right there, and then there's also Stan Wawrinka who has a chance so it's very difficult to say that there is a chance for an upset."
You can watch live coverage of the US Open on Sky Sports 1.
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