London - Andy Murray returned to his Miami flat at the weekend for a period of hardcourt training prior with his team to resuming his ATP season in Montreal next month. But the world number three whose adventures since losing a Wimbledon semi-final to Andy Roddick have included rushing his dog to the vet after it ate garden stones and playing a domestic match for his homeland - the north of Scotland - will have only one goal in mind.
Murray, who stands around 1,000 ranking points behind Rafael Nadal, will try and start making up the gap with the Spaniard hoping to be ready to return in Canada after nearly two months off because of continuing knee problems.
It was in Miami last December that Team Murray did the bulk of the off-season physical work which landed the 22-year-old four titles so far this season and rise from fourth to third on the computer tables.
Murray has plenty on his plate to defend in the run-up to the US Open, which he continually insists is his favourite Grand Slam and where he played Roger Federer in the 2008 final. The Scot reached the semi-finals in the Masters event in Canada a year ago and won Cincinnati.
