US Open - Murray laughs off talk of defending champion's pressure

Signing autographs and joking with the media, the Scotsman's relaxed demeanour could not have been any different than when he arrived at Flushing Meadows a year ago.

This time round, however, Murray plans to do something he forgot to last year. He wants to enjoy himself - and he insists that any pressure on him to defend his title is trifling compared to the pressure on him to first win a grand slam and then win Wimbledon.

In 2012, Murray arrived in New York still searching for his first grand slam title. He had won the Olympic gold medal but the grand slams had eluded him and he continued to be pestered about why he had not broken through.

That all changed under the bright lights of New York when he defeated world number one Novak Djokovic in a nerve-tingling five-setter, to end his own drought and become the first British man in 76 years to win the U.S. Open.

Returning this year as the defending champion has rekindled those memories though he confessed his emotions last year were somewhat stifled.

"I was so relieved that night that maybe I didn't have the chance to maybe enjoy it maybe as much as Wimbledon or the Olympics, for example," he said.

"There was so much relief last year that I wasn't necessarily enjoying it as much as I should have.

"So when I came back and practiced on the Arthur Ashe court, you know, the memories came back, and that was nice."

Despite his breakthrough, Murray knew winning the U.S. Open was never going to release the full expectation on him from the British public.

That only came when he won Wimbledon in July, a moment etched in British sporting history but one that was a blur to him.

With the weight of expectation lifted from shoulders, Murray holds no fears about trying to defend his title at Flushing Meadows, the most raucous and intimidating venues of the four grand slams.

"I think there is less pressure. I think before the first match - and probably anything before the first match there will be nerves there - I expect to be pretty nervous because it's a new experience and it's different," he said.

"But I think once the tournament gets going, I don't think it changes. I don't think it changes too much.

"There was a lot of pressure on me for a lot of years to win a grand slam, and then same sort of thing at Wimbledon. I wouldn't imagine it would be the same here."

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US Open - Henman: Murray can win but Rafa the favourite

Nadal usurped Murray as world number two this week following his win at the Cincinnati Masters, meaning the Brit will be seeded third in New York.

While Nadal has won all 15 matches he has played on hard courts this year, Murray suffered a quarter-final exit in Cincinnati and before that lost in round three of the Rogers Cup in Montreal.

And Henman, speaking at Wimbledon where Murray memorably won his second Grand Slam earlier this summer, believes the 26-year-old will continue to battle with Nadal and world number one Novak Djokovic for Grand Slam titles in the coming years.

However, he is tipping Nadal to take Murray's US Open title from him when the Slam gets underway at Flushing Meadows next week.

"Andy has had a little bit of a slow start on the hard courts but he is there as defending champion and has got a great chance of adding another Slam to his CV," said Henman, who is the ambassador for HSBC Road to Wimbledon, the UK's largest junior grass tournament.

"Now he has got two Slams I definitely see him going on and adding more because he is that good - I think this is his time. Djokovic, Murray and Nadal I definitely see dominating the majors in years to come.

"But I would probably say Nadal is the favourite for the US Open right now. He is not number one in the world but he is the best player in the world this year - it is phenomenal he has only lost three matches.

"I would probably give him the edge, but Djokovic and Murray will not be far behind."

The HSBC Road to Wimbledon National 14 & Under Challenge is the UK's largest national junior grass court tournament and forms part of the HSBC's investment in the stars of the future.

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US Open - Murray to open against Llodra, Federer-Nadal quarters on the cards

Murray, who is also the Wimbledon champion, landed in the top half of the draw for the August 26-September 9 tournament in New York while second seed Rafa Nadal and five-times Open champion Roger Federer were placed in the bottom half.

Scotsman Murray, who beat Serb Djokovic in an epic five-set final to claim last year's title at Flushing Meadows, was elated to be back at a venue where he has enjoyed considerable success.

"This is a huge tournament for me," Murray, 26, said after the official draw ceremony was completed at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre.

"I came here for the first time when I was 15. I got to my first Grand Slam final here, my first Grand Slam win here and I won the juniors here when I was 17 so I love coming back."

Murray will take on Frenchman Michael Llodra in the opening round while Djokovic launches his title bid against Lithuania's Ricardas Berankis.

Seventh seed Federer has been placed outside the top three for the first time in more than a decade at a Grand Slam and is drawn to meet in-form Nadal in the quarter-finals.

However, the Spaniard could face a tricky opponent in the previous round where he is scheduled to meet big-serving American John Isner, who Nadal beat in the final of the Western and Southern Open last week.

In other likely quarter-finals, fourth-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer is set to meet Frenchman Richard Gasquet, Djokovic could face sixth seed Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina and Murray is on course to play fifth-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych.

In the women's singles draw, world number one and defending champion Serena Williams is set to come up against Germany's Angelique Kerber in the last eight but she has two other intriguing opponents potentially lying in wait.

Top seed Williams is scheduled to face fellow American Sloane Stephens in the fourth round, the player who stunningly beat her in this year's Australian Open quarter-finals.

Should Serena overcome that potential hurdle, she could then meet her older sister Venus, who has the chance to advance through Kerber's section of the draw.

However, Serena has no plans to look too far ahead as she sets her sights on winning a 17th Grand Slam singles title.

"I take every match really seriously," Serena said while sitting next to Murray after the draw ceremony. "I don't look too far in the draw. I just look at each match.

"Every match is going to be a very, very tough competition for me and I will just stay focused on one at a time."

Like Murray, Serena is delighted to be back at Flushing Meadows where she won her first Grand Slam singles title at the 1999 Open.

"It's so important for me," the 31-year-old smiled. "I told my Dad, 'I want to win the Open when I grow up. I want to be able to win this title.'

"The first time I ever won a Grand Slam was here in Arthur Ashe Stadium so it just has so many great memories. The Open means everything to me."

Second seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarussia, who beat Serena in Sunday's Cincinnati Open final, has been drawn to meet seventh seed Czech Petra Kvitova in the last eight.

The other potential quarter-finals could see third seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland against fifth seed Li Na of China while fourth-seeded Italian Sara Errani is scheduled to play sixth seed Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark.

In the opening round, Serena faces an experienced opponent in Italian Francesca Schiavone, the 2010 French Open champion, while Azarenka comes up against Germany's Dinah Pfizenmaier.

Britain's Heather Watson opens against Simona Halep while Laura Robson's first round clash is against Lourdes Dominguez Lino.

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Wimbledon - Cameron backs knighthood for victorious Murray

Murray defeated Serbia’s Novak Djokovic 6-4 7-5 6-4 on Sunday to delight a country that has waited so long for a successor to Fred Perry.

The world number two, who also holds the US Open and Olympic titles, has quickly been installed as the 1/20 favourite to win the Sports Personality of the Year award but there is also speculation he could earn recognition in the New Year honours list.

While Cameron has no influence over what is an independent process, the Conservative Prime Minster believes Murray is deserving of being knighted, saying on Monday: "Frankly, I can't think of anyone who deserves one more.”

Cameron, who watched Murray’s victory from the royal box at Wimbledon, added that the moment of sporting glory "lifted the spirits of the whole country".

He added: "It was a fantastic day for Andy Murray, for British tennis and for Britain … We were wondering yesterday morning, 'Do we dare to dream that this is possible?' and he proved absolutely that it was."

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Wimbledon - Champion Murray in a blur after historic triumph

The British number one produced a stubborn display that underlined his mental toughness and increasing self-belief to beat world number one Novak Djokovic 6-4 7-6 6-4.

He came out to serve for the title as a far from reserved roar, an unleashing of national frustration after so many years, reverberated around the hallowed Centre Court.

Murray quickly established three Championship points and then squandered them all.

He then saved three break points before producing a brilliant winner to set up another chance, which he finally took to end Britain's 77-year wait for a men's singles winner.

The British number one now holds the Olympic, US Open and Wimbledon titles - and, at just 26, is still at the peak of his powers meaning there is surely more to come.

"Winning Wimbledon is the pinnacle of tennis. Those last few points were the hardest of my life and I worked so hard in that last game," said Murray.

"I just can't get my head around it, I can't quite believe it.

"It's all a bit of a blur, from 4-2 down in the third set to holding the trophy, I don't know what to say.

"Mentally, that last game was the toughest game I will play in my entire career. I can't really believe that it's happened. This one will take a while to sink in."

Murray paid special tribute to coach Ivan Lendl, himself a two-time beaten finalist at Wimbledon, who has perhaps added a decisive missing ingredient to the world number two's entourage since his appointment early last year.

"He told me he was proud of me, which coming from him means a lot," added Murray.

"He doesn't smile too much in public but away from the cameras and crowds he is a very different character.

"He'd have loved to win here but this was the next best thing for him, he's stuck by me through some tough losses, he's been very patient and I'm happy I managed to do it for him.

"Ivan has made me learn more from my losses. He is extremely honest with me, if I work hard then he is happy. If I don't, he's disappointed and will tell me.

"He's got my mentality slightly different heading into these big matches."

Murray also paid tribute to the crowd - normally the most reserved on the Grand Slam circuit - who waved their flags and raised the roof with the sort of chanting you normally only find at the Davis Cup.

"It was a different atmosphere to the past, it was incredibly loud," he said.

"It does make a difference and it really helps when the crowd is like that. It's especially good in a tough matches, when it's extremely hot and there are long, brutal rallies. It helps get you through."

Murray admits to feeling strange that his entire career has been contrasted with a player, Fred Perry, who died when he was just seven years old.

And he hopes that he won't be held up as a similar example for those that will surely be inspired by his Wimbledon victory.

"It's an incredibly difficult tournament to win, so it's possible it could take a long time but I would hope not that long," said Murray.

"I think with the amount of money that is invested in the sport in this country, then it shouldn't take 70 odd years."

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Wimbledon - Judy Murray fears for British tennis despite Andy's triumph

Andy ended a 77-year wait for a British men’s champion at SW19 on Sunday against Novak Djokovic and celebrated with a kiss for his mum.

However Judy, who is coach of the British Fed Cup team, told the BBC’s Newsnight programme that she fears the wave of optimism will break under a lack of facilities at grassroots level.

"The country will go tennis crazy. Kids and adults will want to try tennis and not all of them will get the opportunity," she said.

"The key is to make sure there are as many public courts in as many communities we can put them in if we're going to tap into this great imagination…

"I'd like it to become way more inclusive. I think it still is [too elitist]. Some moves have been made to make things better but there's still such a long way to go and there are huge swathes of the country where you can't find tennis courts.

"You need to build courts in areas where they currently don't exist for it to become a much more inclusive sport…

"We need to get into rural areas and disadvantaged areas and get tennis to people that haven't had the opportunity to play.”

However Tom Gibbins, head of education at the Lawn Tennis Association, refuted the notion that tennis is inaccessible.

"We're trying to dispel lots of myths about tennis and one is that it has to be an expensive sport to play. The average weekly membership of a tennis club is less than £1.50 a week for a junior to play,” he told BBC London.

"Andy gave British tennis its greatest moment ever and it's our job to capitalise on that interest and inspire more kids and adults to play tennis.

"There are 20,000 tennis courts up and down the country, 1,500 of which are free. Tennis isn't an expensive sport especially at beginner and recreational level."

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