Murray's hot streak puts him in frame for gold
BEIJING (Reuters) - Andy Murray grew up playing tennis in the wind and rain of Scotland but appears perfectly adapted to the heat and humidity waiting for him in Beijing as he targets Olympic gold.
The 21-year-old Briton will check into the Olympic Village on Thursday with his first Masters Series title in the bag after overcoming soaring temperatures and Serbia's Novak Djokovic to win the Cincinnati Masters Series final on Sunday.
His form since losing to Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon has been almost perfect on north American hardcourts. After falling to Nadal in the semi-finals at Toronto, he went one better in Cincinnati and is clearly the man in form.
The physical frailties that dogged the languid Scot's early professional career are no longer an issue and despite his punishing workload in the last fortnight he will fear nobody.
"I'd rather be in this position than going to Beijing early after losing in the first round," Murray told Britain's Independent newspaper. "Of course, ideally I'd like to have more time to relax and get used to the venue and the whole Olympic atmosphere, but I'll just have to deal with it.
"I've been playing a lot of matches, but right now I feel fine both physically and mentally.
"The humidity (in Cincinnati) was unbelievable. It was well over 100 degrees (38 degrees Celsius) out on court."
World number six Murray, who will also partner older brother Jamie in the doubles, said his much-improved stamina is a result of a new fitness regime.
"It comes from training and the gym work that you do off the court, because that eliminates all your possible excuses," he said.
"You get on the court thinking about tennis, not worrying whether you've practiced enough or done enough work in the gym. I feel much better physically."
Murray first came to prominence in the weeks after the Athens Olympics when he won the 2004 U.S. Open junior singles title.
Despite the occasional setback his progress since then has been spectacular and he is relishing the chance to compete at his first Olympics and mixing in the athletes' village.
"I can't wait," he said Murray. "Quite a few of the tennis players are staying in hotels but I don't understand why they're doing that.
"Having made the decision to play in the Olympics, I wouldn't want to be staying anywhere other than in the village. It will be a great experience to be around the best athletes in the world and to speak to some of them."
The draw for the Olympic tennis event takes place on August 7 with first round action beginning on August 10.
(Editing by Greg Stutchbury)
