LONDON - Britain’s No.1 tennis player Andy Murray has admitted that, even at the age of 22, his Grand Slam failures are becoming a major burden on his career.

The world No.3 was at first adamant that he was pleased with his Wimbledon showing after going down narrowly to Andy Roddick in Friday’s semi-final. But Murray confessed that his lack of a major title was becoming a monkey on his back.

“When I win a Grand Slam, it will be a huge weight off my shoulders and if it had been here, that would have been great. But I go into each Grand Slam and - regardless of whether it is here or the US Open - I put the same pressure on myself to play well,” he said.

“If I win one it would probably make a difference to how I perform in the next one, whether that be Wimbledon or wherever. Wimbledon isn’t the only tournament in the world, there are a lot of big ones and I will try to perform as well as I can in those,” Murray added.

And Murray is consoling himself with the theory that he has been unlucky to meet inspired - if lower-ranked opponents - at all three of the 2009 Grand Slam tournaments, News of the World reported.

Fernando Verdasco upset him in Australia, Fernando Gonzalez crushed him in Paris and Roddick edged him out at Wimbledon.
Murray said: “This year has been a very good one for me but I have probably had some of my toughest losses because I haven’t felt I have played poorly in any of the Slams. I think I’ve played well actually but just came up against three guys who played great, great tennis.” (ANI)