Andy Murray might be entering the run-up to the year-ending Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at London s O2 Arena, but his thoughts are already turning towards next season.
The 23-year-old will step up his search for a coach after his playing commitments are fulfilled, but it appears his focus is already on the Australian Open, which so nearly provided him with his first Grand Slam last January.
After what has been an up-and-down year, Murray has confirmed that he will begin 2011 as he did 2010 by representing Britain alongside 16-year-old Laura Robson in the Hopman Cup mixed team event in Perth, to be staged in the first week of the New Year.
I m looking forward to going back to the Hopman Cup, Murray said. For me, it was a good start to the year and we went pretty close to winning.
Murray played some of his best tennis of the year alongside Robson, though he briefly hit top form in Toronto in August, when he beat Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer for his only title of 2010.
But the Hopman Cup was the first time that he really showed signs of the more aggressive tactics he has been trying to incorporate into his game this year and it set him up nicely for Melbourne, where only an inspired Federer denied him in the final.
Tournament director Paul McNamee began his attempts to persuade Murray and Robson to return almost as soon as they had left the city nine months ago.
When Andy puts it all together, it is pretty breathtaking, McNamee said. Roger Federer s not getting any younger and I think that Andy s very much on track still, especially as he is still in the top four in the world.
Murray will be back on court tomorrow when he begins his title bid in the Shanghai Masters.
l Glasgow s Jamie Baker has reached the final qualifying round of this week s Tiburon Challenger event in California.
Baker scored straight-sets wins over Yoram Tall and Sky Lovill and will now face Englishman Dan Cox for a place in the main draw.
