Murray insists: It's time I became a winner, not a gallant loser - Sport - Evening Standard
       

Murray insists: It's time I became a winner, not a gallant loser

Andy Murray enters the biggest week of his tennis career declaring that being the plucky British nearly man will not be enough for him.

The 21-year-old Scot, who faces Frenchman Richard Gasquet on Centre Court, today attempts to reach a Grand Slam quarter-final for the first time.

'For me there's not a huge difference between a fourth round and a quarter-final in a Slam,' he said.

Battle hardened: Andy Murray

Battle hardened: Andy Murray

'I want to try to concentrate on winning the tournament. I'm not really thinking about reaching the quarter-final, I'm more interested in making it to the final. It's almost as if you've got to view it as a new tournament and be fired up for the first ball on Monday.'

Murray was in this position two years ago only to flop against Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis.

He admits that he was neither fit enough nor properly mentally prepared. 'It was the first time I was in the fourth round and I didn't deal with it very well,' he said.

'The main difference now is that I've put in the work off the court to believe that I can win a Slam.'

Murray, today up against the eighth seed, has been spending less time around the All England Club than he used to and has resisted watching matches during his time off.

'On the days I was playing I didn't used to watch much tennis but on my days off maybe I spent time studying other players a little bit too much.

'Today is going to be a difficult match, the toughest that I have played so far, but I feel like I've got a good chance of winning.

'It's just up to me to play my tennis, and that's what I've done my whole life.'

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