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Page last updated at 15:04 GMT, Sunday, 29 August 2010 16:04 UK
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Andy Murray column

US Open, Flushing Meadows
Dates: 30 August - 12 September Start time: 1600 BST
Coverage: Live text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles; updates on BBC Radio 5 live; live on Sky Sports

Andy Murray
Murray is looking to go one better than 2008 when he reached the final

By Andy Murray
World number four and British number one

I really enjoy coming to New York, it's a great city, and after the last few weeks in LA, Toronto and Cincinnati I'm feeling good - but playing the US Open is a very different experience.

In terms of my match fitness, things are good but a lot can change in a few days and I'm just hoping that I go into the tournament feeling like I am now.

It's pretty relaxed over here and it helps that I know New York well these days.

My form has been good, especially in Toronto... towards the end of that week, I was definitely more aggressive

Andy Murray

I've stayed at the same place in Manhattan for the last few years, so I know the restaurants and salad bars we go to as well as some of the people there and at the hotel. It's great to see a few familiar faces.

Since getting here I've done a few sponsor things and we've been out for some decent meals. We've had sushi a couple of nights, while there's a salad bar across the road and an Italian right next door.

It's good to mix it up and there is such a great variety of places. You really can have whatever you want, whatever time of day you want.

I also had my first ever facial, which was a bit unusual. When we arrived from Cincinnati, we all decided to go for a spa. I wasn't doing the bookings but I had a massage, too.

I fell asleep during the facial, so I don't know if I enjoyed it or not. I think dozing off means I did! I was either really tired or it was very relaxing, probably a bit of both.

Flushing Meadows is out in Queen's, so during the journey from Manhattan I've been working on my Fantasy Football team. I've had a bit of a shocker so far.

Last week, I'd selected John Carew, who missed a penalty for Aston Villa, and Wayne Rooney, who got sick and missed Manchester United's game with Fulham. Then I changed my whole team.

You can use a wildcard twice a season and I've used one of them after only two weeks. My team would have been a lot better had I just left it alone.

Murray attends an adidas event alongside Ana Ivanovic
Murray attends an adidas event alongside Ana Ivanovic

I'm in a league with a few other tennis players and some of the guys back home. To say it's competitive is an understatement.

It's a great source of banter, though, and you tend to get more than a few messages after a poor week. It's tough to win and you need a bit of luck but I won last year and I'm gunning for title number two.

Back on the court, my form has been good, especially in Toronto. Towards the end of that week, I was definitely more aggressive.

Every time I've played against Rafael Nadal, that's the way I've tried to play. Against Roger Federer, I tried to be a bit more aggressive than normal, too, and it worked well.

It was something I had thought about before but you sometimes have to adjust mid-match and switch styles.

The surface does help me here. I've been playing on hard courts since I was seven or eight years old, so it's the surface I feel most comfortable on.

In terms of my coaching situation, the plan was always to wait until after the tournament to make any decisions. I'll have a think about who I want to work with and what structure I want to work with and just play it by ear but Alex Corretja is out with me here in New York.

As for my opening match, I don't know too much about Lukas Lacko. He's almost the same age as me, so we've sort of grown up together in tennis since we were 13 or 14.

He has a good game, decent serve and solid ground strokes. He's pretty talented and it will be tough but I can't wait to get started.


Andy Murray was talking to BBC Sport and will be contributing regular columns throughout the US Open



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see also
Men's singles draw
26 Aug 11 |  Tennis
Women's singles draw
28 Jan 10 |  Tennis


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