Tennis: Murray says results prove he can handle any threat

Published on Tuesday 8 September 2009 09:49

ANDY MURRAY will go into his US Open fourth-round clash with Marin Cilic prepared for any challenge the tall Croatian can throw at him.

The British No.1 believes he has overcome a variety of tests in getting to the fourth round with victories over Ernests Gulbis, Paul Capdeville and Taylor Dent and he will hold no fears about being able to deal with 16th seed Cilic, a 6ft 6in 20-year-old from Zagreb whom he has beaten three times before without defeat.

"I played three pretty different players," Murray said of his journey to the last 16. "First one was a big server who stayed at the back. Second one didn't hit the ball that big, but really had nothing to lose. Taylor is a serve and volleyer.

"I thought I dealt with the different tests that were put in front of me pretty well. Try and play like that for the next few matches."

Murray will play Cilic at Arthur Ashe Stadium in the final day match on the main show court at Flushing Meadows and will be followed on court in the evening by third seed Rafael Nadal as the Spaniard takes on France's 13th seed Gael Monfils.

Nadal, a potential semi-final opponent for Murray, as he was last year when the Scot went on to reach his first grand slam final, aggravated an abdominal muscle injury he had sustained last month on the way to victory over fellow Spaniard Nicolas Almagro but Murray said he was not reading too much into that.

"I knew he had that problem since Montreal or whenever he did it," Murray said. "He's had the tape on his abs. Being in the locker room, we obviously can see that. You never now how bad it is. To me, after he had the treatment, from what I saw, didn't look like it affected him that much. Maybe lost one more game after that. You never know, because things can get better in a couple of days, or sometimes they get worse. You just have to focus on your own matches not what's going on in the other players."

Nadal had been overtaken in the rankings by Murray after missing two months including Wimbledon with tendinitis in his knees, capping a 12 months for the 22-year-old Scot in which he finished US Open runner-up and won five ATP Tour titles in 2009.

Cilic, who first played Murray in 2007, said he believed Murray has coped perfectly well with his new status as world No.2

"He has more self belief from these great results in the past year and I think even sometimes when he's not playing good he believes he is playing well and in a sport like tennis when you're on your own that's really good not to have any doubts about yourself. I've watched him in Montreal and Cincinnati recently so I know what he can do, what he can't and mostly he was pretty solid.

"He has some big shots but he's not going to hit you out of the court and he always lets people play against him.

You definitely have to try not to rush too much and try to have controlled aggression."