Relaxed Murray targets another final reckoning against Djokovic

Andy Murray believes his US Open triumph has enabled him to focus on his targets for 2013 with a new inner calm.

Murray finally made his grand slam breakthrough at Flushing Meadows in September with a five-set final victory over world No 1 Novak Djokovic to silence those who questioned whether he possessed the ability and mental strength to land one of the game’s biggest prizes.

And the Scot admits his success Stateside means he can now approach the new season, starting at the Australian Open, with renewed vigour.

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“I always felt like I was having to prove something every time I went on the court because I hadn’t won a slam.

“Even when I won a Masters Series, people still asked me always about the slams.

“So it’s nice not to have to worry about that anymore.

“I think it will help me throughout the rest of the year on tour because I won’t be worrying and thinking about the slams all the time. I can focus on all the events that I’m entered in.”

Murray has reached the final in Melbourne twice and last year was ousted by Djokovic at the last-four stage in another five-set thriller.

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It was a match which the 25-year-old claims he took a lot from as he sets out on another grand slam campaign Down Under.

“I want to try to take the extra step in all the grand slams if I can,” he added.

“I learnt a lot from last year’s semi-final. It was a very important match for me in the context of my year.

“I got over that loss a lot quicker than I had some of my previous slam losses. I felt like I played well and there was something I could really take away from it.”

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Those two clashes with Djokovic in 2012 added weight to the theory that the pair are setting out on what could turn into an epic rivalry.

With Roger Federer the wrong side of 30 and Rafael Nadal’s continuing injury problems – the Spaniard is not present in Melbourne – it seems to pave the way for Murray and Djokovic to fight it out over the next few years.

The two men go back a long way and Murray – paired with Dutchman Robin Haase in the first round – admits he has great respect for the Serbian.

“We get on well,” he said.

“Never in any matches have I had any problems with him, or in practice. We’ve never had any issues with each other the whole time we’ve been on the tour.

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“I think after the matches we’ve played over the last year or so, and at times they have been incredibly physical, our respect for one another has probably grown.

“It’s not worth making any predictions about rivalries or whatever but when I do play against him it’s a match I enjoy.

“If I get to play Novak here that would mean it would be in the final so obviously that’s what I would like to do. But I know how hard it is to get to the latter stages of these events.”

Djokovic opens his 2013 grand slam campaign today and he accepts he needs to be at his best from the outset.

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Djokovic is attempting to make history as the first man in the Open era to win three successive Australian Open titles but was handed a tricky first hurdle to negotiate in the form of experienced Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu.

Mathieu, who turned 31 on Saturday, has twice reached the fourth round in Melbourne and will provide a stiff early test for the Serbian.

“The draw is something you cannot affect,” said Djokovic. “It’s not in your hands so you just try to take it one match at a time, focus on your next opponent, your next challenge.

“Maybe Mathieu is ranked lower at the moment (at 60 in the world) but he was a top-20 player.

“He knows how it feels to play on a big stage.

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“There is no underestimating him, that’s for sure. I’m going to try to focus from the start.”

Djokovic is the favourite to claim the trophy once again and, with Nadal absent, his only realistic challengers appear to be Federer and Murray. And while the 25-year-old understands the reasoning behind that argument he believes there are several other players capable of vying for the major prizes.

He added: “It’s probably expected that the three of us, and Nadal of course, would still be the main candidates to win all the major titles.

“But I wouldn’t underestimate (Juan Martin) Del Potro, (Jo-Wilfried) Tsonga, (David) Ferrer, (Tomas) Berdych or anyone who is in the top 10. And there are young players coming up like (Bernard) Tomic, (Grigor) Dimitrov and (Milos) Raonic. I don’t think it’s nice for me to predict that us three will be champions of all the grand slams this year.”

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That view was backed by Federer, who said: “I think many of the top-10 guys had a good season in 2012.

“Look at how great Ferrer’s season was, we know the talents of Tsonga and Berdych won the Davis Cup. Del Potro seems solid, he seems back as a contender for a slam. And there’s always other guys just outside the top 10 who I feel can make a run for it.

“With Rafa not in the draw that might mean for some of the players they only have to beat one of the top three, maybe none.”

Federer appears to have the toughest draw of the leading contenders – after what looks a straightforward opening assignment against Frenchman Benoit Paire – with young Australian hope Tomic, who won his first title in Sydney yesterday, a possible opponent in round three.

Tomic said: “I would love to get in that position to play Roger.

“But Roger has to get there as well.”