Andy Murray confirms he will play in Rome Masters
Wednesday 13 May 2015 08:25, UK
Andy Murray will attempt to win a third successive clay-court title after confirming his participation at the Rome Masters this week.
Murray had considered missing the tournament to ensure he was fresh for the French Open later this month but has opted to play on after winning back-to-back titles in Munich and Madrid - his first titles on clay - in the last fortnight.
The Scot will face Frenchman Jeremy Chardy in the second round on Wednesday and could meet world No 1 and defending champion Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals. Murray has lost all three matches against the Serbian this year.
The world No 3 said: "I feel a lot fitter and healthier than the last couple of years on the clay.
"I have to thank my team for that. They've made some significant changes to my preparation on the clay to what I've been doing. So that's helped for sure.
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"I didn't feel much pressure last week, I did not have that much expectation after the three in the morning (Madrid) finish. I kind of just played and felt better each match.
"Although I hadn't played that well at altitude before it probably helped me on the clay. That's why I think it will be good for me to get some matches at sea level and to see how I'm playing in these conditions
"The way I trained and prepared for this clay-court season was different to the way I did before. The results have obviously been good."
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