Murray out to be the boss

Andy Murray’s performances prior to this year’s US Open have underlined why Flushing Meadows may well be the location where the Scot finally comes away with that elusive major.

I know this has been uttered plenty of times before when the British No.1 has entered a Grand Slam but this time there seems to be a feeling that he wants it more than ever.

And when Murray wants something he usually gets it.

Before the Rogers Cup all the talk was that with Murray making the radical decision to drop his coach Miles Maclagan he will be at risk of slipping down the rankings especially with the news of an extremely tough draw ahead of his title defence in Toronto.

However the Scot seemed completely unnerved by this and banished all those negative questions by producing a run of sublime positive tennis to defeat an inform David Nalbandian, World No.1 Rafael Nadal and then Roger Federer in the final.

The performances especially against Nalbandian and Nadal showed that Murray has altered his approach and is now out to take his game to his opponents rather than allowing them to dictate him.

This has been one of the most frustrating things about watching the Scot. Too often does he fail to step up, throw coercion to the wind and tear through his opponents, which we all know he is capable of. Instead he tends to sit back, wear down the baseline and let the player on the other side of the net bully him.

Although this approach works by frustrating his opponent into submission an attacking natured Scot looks far more assured and imposing figure.

This is noted in today’s Times newspaper where Nalbandian commented on Murray’s highly impressive performance against him in Toronto. He said: “Andy played a more offensive style that day and I like it, said the Argentine, “I don’t like it when he plays too defensively. He played much with an attitude of offensive play in Toronto and won the tournament; he was more defensive in Cincinnati and did not win. There is your answer."

Federer is another to criticise the Scot for his defensive, counter punching style.

Now and unfortunately for the Swiss Murray is beginning to listen, as he defeated the 16 time major winner in the final in a swashbuckling manner proving to Murray that this is by far the best way to topple the World No.2, who is himself coming back into form winning in Cincinnati.

The path to another Murray-Federer final looks odds on with both of them finding themselves in very kind sections of the draw. Despite landing his Roland Garros conqueror Tomas Berdych in the quarters final, with Stanislas Warwinka and Sam Querrey also in the way in the third and fourth round respectively the inform Brit should make a straight forward journey through to the semi final.

World No.1 Nadal may well be his challenge in the last four but as shown in Toronto and the Australian Open quarter final, on hard court Murray is the boss with this being the Spaniard’s least favoured surface and slam.

This then leaves Federer, on the Arthur Ashe Court, a place the great man has dominated for half a decade but after being out lasted by Juan Martin Del Potro in last year’s final it has demonstrated that he can be shunned and Murray needs to believe that.

Serve well, take it early, put his opponent on the back foot as early as possible, step in and win the point this should be the mentallity Murray utillises to ruthlessly take his first Grand Slam title back home.