Andy goes through pain barrier to be the Incredible Bulk

The scrawny kid who exploded into our consciousness three years ago has become a dedicated pumper of iron in his quest to match the game's power-hitters and has extended his own pain barrier in the process.

Stretching himself: Andy Murray puts himself through a few exercises yesterday in preparation for this afternoon's showdown with Xavier Malisse

Murray has shifted the emphasis of training from court to gym because of the need to bulk up and compete in endurance terms, allowing his talent to hold sway for longer.

Gone are the concerns that the 21-year-old cannot last five sets in successive matches, or even seven Grand Slam matches in a fortnight.

His intention in today's second round is to dismiss Xavier Malisse as efficiently as he despatched Fabrice Santoro in straight sets on Monday. Should the Belgian test Murray, he will find the Scot's endurance has been extended by a regime with new fitness guru Jez Green.

Green said: 'Andy's very involved in the programme. He knows what he needs to do and what he wants to do.

'He's worked on his core strength over the last couple of years really well, so he's resisting injuries, but the physical strength and power is something he bought into in the gym.

Andy Murray goes through his workout routine

'He said: "I want to get into the gym more, lift more" and now he's getting the benefits. You don't want to be too bulky because you've got to move around court pretty quick.

'But he needed five or six more kilos on him, just to hit the ball continuously over five sets as hard as the top boys do. He's halfway along the process. He can put on a couple more kilos and hit the ball five to 10mph faster, for sure.'

Green admires the British No 1's work ethic - a side of his personality hidden from public view. The programme allies hard graft with weights to sprinting drills on the track.

Green added: 'There's a series of 100m sprints - 20 of them, one every minute. That's pretty brutal. You try to do it at the quickest pace and hold on for dear life.

'He pushes himself incredibly hard, really hurts himself sometimes. In the gym, he did a set of five chin-ups with a 20-kilo disc hanging off him. That was impressive. He's never done that before.

'The aim is not to push him so hard that he's physically sick but he's been in pretty dodgy shape at the end of it.

'He really does put himself through the wringer. I've been very pleasantly surprised by how much effort and intensity he brings.'

An intensity that will be needed to subdue the fiery Malisse today.