• Australian Open

Murray bullish about major chances

Andy Murray has looked good in recent days as he puts his finishing touches to his Australian Open preparation © PA Photos

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Andy Murray feels he learned a lot from his bad patch in 2010 and will head into this year's Australian Open in prime shape.

Murray looked set to deliver a stellar 2010 when making it to the final of the Australian Open, where he lost to Roger Federer, but his season went off the rails and it was not until the autumn that he rediscovered his best form.

The Scot feels the travails of last year have enabled him to experience the ups and downs of life on tour and he is ready to prove he is up to the task of challenging for major glory.

"I played quite a lot of big matches last year and I went through some very tough patches as well, especially after the Aussie Open," Murray said. "That was something I had to come back from and I learnt from so I think mentally I'm probably in a better place."

Murray has not played an ATP event so far this year but is content with his build up to Melbourne.

"I did a lot of running on the track and running on the beach," he said. "Just the usual weights, core stuff, movement work on the court.

"In terms of my game, I work on things a lot in practice, things that are hopefully going to improve my game. Then you just need to go out there and try to put them into the matches when you get the chance to."

Murray is seeded five this time around but he does not feel it will have any bearing on how he will fare.

"I have been seeded five here and made the final and seeded four and been knocked out in the third round of grand slams, so I don't think it makes a whole lot of difference," he said. "You maybe have to play one of the top guys maybe a round earlier and those guys are incredibly difficult, so it is not something I was worried about when the draw was getting done."

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