Any time now, Andy Murray will break through and become Britain's next Grand Slam champion.
Or so the theory goes.
The fourth-seeded Murray, expected by many to make a deep run at this year's U.S. Open, instead made his second straight earlier-than-expected exit from Flushing Meadows - losing to No. 25 Stanislas Wawrinka on Sunday in the third round.
Wawrinka rallied from a break down late in the second set for a 6-7 (3), 7-6 (4), 6-3, 6-3 upset - a loss certain to be picked apart by the tennis-loving fans back home.
''I have no idea of whether I'll win a Grand Slam or not,'' Murray said. ''I want to. But if I never win one, then what? If I give 100 percent, try my best, physically work as hard as I can, practice as much as I can, then that's all I can do.''
Murray is trying to become the first British man to win a Grand Slam tournament since 1936. He was a popular pick this year, based on trips to the finals at Flushing Meadows two years ago and this year's Australian Open, along with a championship in Montreal last month in which he beat both Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
Instead, the loss to Wawrinka goes with a fourth-round exit last year when, as the No. 2 seed, he was upset by Marin Cilic.
The promise of a deep run this year for Murray slipped away quickly after the second set. The 23-year-old Scot needed the trainer twice after that - once for tightness in his quad, another when he felt tingling in his right elbow.
But he didn't blame the injuries.
''He played better than me,'' Murray said. ''There's not a whole lot more to it.''
It will, however, be sliced and diced back home, where his every success and failure is recorded in exacting detail.
In addition to asking about his injury (not an issue, he said), his physical condition (in as good of shape as ever, he said) and his mindset as the match started slipping away (Yeah, you get frustrated in situations like those, but who wouldn't?), Murray was asked about his unsettled coaching situation.
''I want to improve and get better,'' Murray said. ''I'm obviously going to look for a coach and people that are going to help me to do that. But, I'm happy with the guys that I work with just now. They're all very, very good at what they do. So I'm not gonna start changing everything.
''I'm still looking for a coach. That's it.''
Still looking for his first major title, as well - a gap in the resume that leaves an entire country wondering why.
''I think you need to play your best tennis during the tournament, and that's it,'' Murray said. ''That's the only way to win one. There's a lot of tough players out there just now. If you don't play well enough, you're not going to win.''
