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Murray not concerned by lack of playing time

Andy Murray looked to be re-discovering some form at last week's Rome Masters event © Getty Images

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World No. 4 Andy Murray insists he is not concerned at a lack of match time ahead of a punishing schedule including two Grand Slams in a month.

The British No. 1 will play at the Mutua Madrilena Masters in Madrid next week, before taking a few days rest ahead of competing at the French Open, AEGON Championship trophy and Wimbledon. Murray's recent form has seen him bow out of his last four tournaments in the early rounds and this has led to suggestions that the Scot, who turns 23 this month, may struggle to produce his best form over the coming weeks.

"I'm not worried at all," Murray told The Times. "I'd rather have played more recently, but there were eight weeks between the tour finals last year and the Australian Open and I reached the final. I took five weeks off after Wimbledon last year and won Montreal.

"The year before that I took five weeks after the US Open and won Madrid and St Petersburg. It's all about practising and training properly, and being in the best shape, because that's what gives me confidence, by hitting thousands of balls. I am a good player, I know that.

"Since I was young I've known how to win and the right way for me to play, which has worked against the top players. I have a winning record against [Roger] Federer, although the grand slams haven't gone my way, I've won the last three times against [Novak] Djokovic and against [Rafael] Nadal. I didn't start very well [against Nadal] when I was younger, but since going 5-0 down, in the last five matches it's been 3-2 to me.

"I will stick to the way I play because that's the way I enjoy tennis. I recall being told by a coach at around 13 that, though people were saying I needed to be more aggressive, I should keep doing what I was doing but get stronger because then I would hit the ball harder. I need to improve my service speed and get bigger and therefore my ground strokes will be heavier with the same amount of effort I put in."

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