British number one Andy Murray has put his success this season down to his improved fitness.
Better conditioning the key to recent success says Scot
Andy Murray has put his success this season down to his improved fitness.
The 21-year-old became the first Briton to win the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami on Sunday as he convincingly saw off Novak Djokovic with a 6-2 7-5 win in the final.
Murray is now on the brink of surpassing Djokovic and claiming the Serb's status as the world number three.
Indeed, since his loss to number one Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon last year, the Scot has posted a win-loss record of 57-7 - the best on the ATP Tour ahead of Nadal's 50-7 - and has racked up six titles.
He believes that superb form can be attributed to his physical strength - an area that many pundits questioned during his early years.
"My fitness that I did in the off season and last year have obviously paid off," he said.
Confidence
"(It) just gives you more confidence going into the matches knowing you're in good shape.
"I think just mentally it makes a difference. Even if you're struggling, you know your opponent is going to be feeling the same, as well.
"Whereas before sometimes you could get tired and look over at the other side and the opponent seems fine. A match like today, there's obviously points... I mean, it was hot out there.
"A few long rallies and stuff I would be a little bit out of breath. I could look down the court and see him (Djokovic) struggling, as well."
Djokovic impressed
Djokovic - who just as at the Australian Open appeared to struggle with the energy-sapping conditions on Sunday - agreed with his rival, insisting Murray's improved physical prowess had made him a more dangerous opponent.
"I think physically he's moving much better all over the court," the Serbian stated. "The balls he wasn't getting before he is now. The switch of defensive to offensive tennis in the points - he is really good, one of the best in the world.
"I think that makes him a much better player than he used to be."
With the showpiece in Miami heralding the end of the hard-court stretch, attention now focuses to the clay-court season and Murray insists he will be working hard to progress on the surface ahead of next month's French Open.
Clay crucial
He insists improved performance on the red stuff will be crucial to his bid to break the top three.
"The clay-court season will be very important for me now," he continued. "On the hard-courts, I think my game is up there with the top guys.
"On grass it definitely got better last year. But on clay, it hasn't been the same as them, and that's where they have picked up a lot of the points.
"If you got rid of the clay-court season's points, I think I would be very close to Roger, and not too far behind Rafa.
"I want to do better than I did last year, try and reach the quarter-finals of one of the big tournaments.
"There are only two mandatory tournaments this year before the French Open. I'm planning on playing Monte Carlo, and I can use that. There's not as much pressure playing there as there was before, because it doesn't have to go towards your ranking.
"I have found clay tough the last few years, but my game definitely got better last year."
