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Murray feeling fitter as tournament progresses

Andy Murray took a lot of confidence from his win over Milos Raonic © Getty Images

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Andy Murray believes he is getting stronger as the US Open goes on, as he prepares to face Marin Cilic in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.

Murray started the tournament at Flushing Meadows somewhat sluggishly, but looked to be moving through the gears as he beat Milos Raonic to book his place in the last eight of the competition. And the Scot is feeling good about his physical condition ahead of his meeting with the Croat.

"Physically I'm feeling better than I did at the beginning of the tournament," Murray said. "It's good to play a match like that [against Raonic] at this stage.

"It gives me some confidence going into the next round for sure because I didn't feel great after the last round.

"But you never know. Conditions change, the opponents change. You just need to make sure you're ready for whatever your opponent is going to bring and try and get the win."

Cilic is making his first quarter-final appearance in a grand slam event since reaching the semi-finals of the 2010 Australian Open - where he was beaten by Murray.

The pair last met in the fourth round at Wimbledon - where the Scot was once again a relatively comfortable victor - but Cilic believes he has what it takes to win in New York.

"Generally we've had a lot of close matches. But I know he's really tough for me to play," Cilic said. "It's tough sometimes to find some openings. But, when I'm playing well, when I feel good, I feel I can match up with anybody."

Cilic, a two-time winner on tour this season, has struggled to build on the early promise he showed, but believes he has learned a lot from his recent challenges and is now playing better tennis for it.

"You always have doubts when you are losing matches that you don't want to lose. In a way it was tough for me, but in another way it was also a positive thing as I learned from those situations," he noted.

"I have had different experiences now. I was in the top 10, played great tennis, dropped, and now I'm coming back to where I feel I can be.

"I have a different understanding that I have to just focus on myself and focus on the right things and not bother about too many other things, which in the past I was having trouble with."

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