Andy Murray keen to kick on

Players Under the Microscope / Editor / 16 April 2007 / Leave a Comment

British number one Andy Murray is hoping he can raise his game to the next level at the Monte Carlo Masters after securing his place in the world's top 10 for the first time.

The 19-year-old Scot moved up to 10th place without hitting a ball, after Tommy Haas slipped down the rankings following his failure to secure a place in the US Clay Court Championships semi-finals.

Murray said: "To get into the top 10 is a big deal for most players when they do it for the first time."

Murray is preparing for Monday's doubles clash alongside his brother Jamie, when they face Poland's Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski at the Monte Carlo Masters.

He received a first-round bye in the singles event and will face the winner of the clash between Frenchman Marc Gicquel and Germany's Florian Mayer in the second round.

He added: "Last year's clay-court season didn't go so well for me. But I'm playing much better than I did last year; I'm much stronger physically as well.

"I think my game is pretty well suited to clay so hopefully I can play well this year. I've been playing well in practice so hopefully I can transfer that on to the court."

The Monte Carlos Masters has been dealt a blow by the withdrawal of three contenders for the title.

Guillermo Canas, who ended world number one Roger Federer's long winning streak in one of two victories over the Swiss star recently, has pulled out suffering from leg pains.

Americans James Blake and Andy Roddick have also withdrawn from the claycourt tournament.
Murray is trading at 70 to celebrate his rise up the rankings with victory in Monte Carlo, with Spain's hat-trick chasing Rafael Nadal the 2.28 favourite.

Federer is available at 2.96 to announce himself back on the big stage after recent upsets, while Nadal's countryman and fellow two-time winner, Juan Carlos Ferrero, an interesting 200 outsider.