Andy Murray aiming for Davis Cup and ATP World Tour Finals success
Monday 16 November 2015 08:50, UK
Andy Murray may be used to competing in the latter stages of Grand Slam events, but the pressure he is under in the final weeks of 2015 is something completely new to him.
Murray takes part in the ATP Tour Word Finals at the O2 this coming week, before joining up with his GB team-mates ahead of the Davis Cup final in Belgium from November 27.
It's a balancing act he's looked to juggle in the last week. Murray has been training on clay at London's Queen's Club ahead of the Davis Cup, and he accepts preparations for the O2 have had to take a back seat.
"It has been hard to be honest," admitted Murray. "I've never been in this position before. I've spoken to people who have to get some advice.
"I've practiced Monday to Thursday on clay, so haven't hit on the hard courts, and that throws things off a little bit. But I just have to realistic as well, so if I don't hit the ball perfectly at the start of the week, hopefully as the event goes on, I'll play better."
Murray can look back on this year with a lot more satisfaction than 2014; a year largely spent rehabilitating from back surgery.
An appearance in the Australian Open final was followed by runs to the last four at both the French Open and Wimbledon. Despite a fourth-round exit to Kevin Anderson in the US Open, the Davis Cup has kept his season ticking along.
Despite the frantic finale to 2015, Murray says he's feeling fresh.
"The year I've had has been a complete opposite (to 2014)," Murray said. "I've come in having played a couple of tournaments the last few months. Whereas last year I basically played six weeks in a row.
"And although I won a lot of matches, my game probably wasn't where I wanted it to be. That probably shows against the world's best players. So I'm hoping this year to be able to put in a better performance."
The curtain call on the ATP season has gripped London since it moved from Shanghai in 2009. And Murray would not be drawn on whether he prefers it to Wimbledon fortnight.
"It's completely different - the surface for one is different," the British number one said.
"It's also a completely different atmosphere. The whole build-up to matches is different as well.
"I think the crowd come from all over, so a lot of the players get good support here. It's maybe not as partisan as Wimbledon, but it maybe feels louder because of the way they put on the show with it being indoors.
"The noise stays in the arena really well. Both are great events, but polar opposites really."
Live Tennis: ATP World Tour Finals
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