Murray ready to step up

Andy Murray has vowed to learn from his mistakes at Wimbledon as he looks ahead to the US Open later this summer. The Scotsman was once again foiled at the semi-final stage at the All-England Club, Rafa Nadal ensuring Murray made it three straight years of disappointment at the same agonising stage. Now the world number four will have to take the positives from the recent months and ensure he heads to Flushing Meadows in ideal form.

After reaching the semi-final stages at the Masters Series in Monte Carlo and Rome, Murray reached his best finish at the French Open in the semi-finals. That form continued into the grass-court season, where the 24-year old picked up the AEGON Championships at Queen's. Another confident foray into the semi-finals at Wimbledon was only ended after Nadal came from a set down to go through in four, Murray once again falling just short of giving the home crowd what they dreamed of. The US Open specials suggest he will challenge again in the next slam though.

Speaking after his defeat to Nadal, Murray made it clear he still wasn't at the required level to challenge the elite players, Nadal and now Djokovic and the US Open tips will reflect this. The Brit has now admitted he will need to go back to the practice courts and tighten up his game enough to make that next step up, vowing to "work harder than ever before to improve my game and get stronger." 

The evidence of his progress will be in New York later this year, the last chance this season Murray will have to claim that maiden major.