• US Open

Murray: Playing in another era would have been easier

Andy Murray was made to sweat against Feliciano Lopez © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• Features: Murray a pass master
  
• News: Murray stutters past Lopez
  
• Profile: Andy Murray

ESPN will be providing extensive coverage of the US Open, with live scores, commentary and analysis and you can follow it all with our live scorecentre

Andy Murray has admitted that he would probably have enjoyed a more decorated career had he played in a different era.

Murray is still looking for his maiden grand slam title, having been denied in four finals already in his career. The Scot has had the misfortune of coming up against the likes of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic - three of the greatest to ever play the game - at the business end of major tournaments, and has yet to come up with a winning solution.

After reaching the last 16 of the US Open with a victory over Feliciano Lopez on Saturday, Murray acknowledged that he would probably already have a few grand slams under his belt had he played in a different era.

However, he noted that facing the likes of Federer and Nadal had undoubtedly made him a far better player than he might otherwise have been.

"If they weren't there, then there would be more chance for me to win major tournaments," Murray said. "But I think I've improved as a player because I'm competing against them as well.

"You know, if you look at it purely on how much people have won, then, yeah, I would obviously rather be in a different era.

"But I think I'm playing better tennis than some guys may have in the past because I've had a chance to compete with them, play at this level, against those guys."

Murray was made to work hard to beat Lopez on Sunday, with conditions making it difficult for both players. In the end, Murray needed three tiebreaks to close out a four-set triumph.

"I mean, the last few sets were tough," he said. "I just played a little bit better at the end of the tie-breaks, a little bit more solid than him, and that was the difference."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.