My dream is to win a Grand Slam: Andy Murray

You’ve had a good beginning to your season. What are your plans for the Australian Open?
I would love to do well in Melbourne, particularly after losing in the first round there last year (to eventual finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga). The conditions can be really tough for everyone as it is best of five sets in often extreme heat and there are a lot of great players in the draw. I’ll be giving it my best shot for sure.

Djokovic, Nadal, Federer and Davydenko didn’t start off too well in the new season. Do you see yourself having an edge over them?
Well… Davydenko has pulled out with a heel injury and there are always some strange results in the first couple of tourneys as everyone tries to find their match fitness. It’s how you perform in the Majors that really counts.

Is there any particular aspect of your game that you are concentrating on?
Fitness will be one thing that I will be focusing on. I’ll be trying to recover well from the first two events so that I’m in the best possible shape for the start of the Australian Open. It’s important to be feeling physically good in the run up to the Slams.

Are you expecting your first Grand Slam at the Melbourne Park?
I’ll be doing my best to achieve that. It has been my dream always to win a Grand Slam. I got really close to it at the 2008 US Open when I reached the final.

You began the year with a win against Nadal at the Capitala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi. How high do you rate that win, considering it wasn’t on the ATP circuit?
It was a great match - 2 hrs and 45 minutes. We both played well and were fighting the whole way through even though it was an exhibition event. It’s always good for your confidence to beat the top guys whatever the event.

Who has been a tougher competitor for you, Nadal or Federer?
I can’t pick one. One thing they have in common is their toughness. Apart from that, they have different game styles and play with different hands, so it’s a big challenge to find a way to win against both of them.

How much of an influence has your brother, Jamie had on your game?
More than he thinks! When we were growing up, he always beat me until I was 13 and he was 14 so he provided a lot of my motivation to keep improving. I always wanted to beat him at everything.