An upbeat Andy Murray feels closer than ever to landing his long overdue maiden major after almost pulling off a miraculous Australian Open semi-final triumph over Novak Djokovic.
Murray rallied back from 5-2 down in a desperately tight deciding set before succumbing 6-3 3-6 6-7 (4-7) 6-1 7-5 in a four-hour, 50-minute thriller at Melbourne Park.
Runner-up in 2010 and 2011, Murray departed Australia with his tail between his legs after being destroyed by Djokovic in straight sets last year.
But inspired by new coach Ivan Lendl, the three-times grand slam finalist is vowing to break his duck in 2012 and even make a push for the world No.1 ranking.
“Tonight’s match was important for many reasons. Obviously I wanted to win first and foremost,” Murray said in the early hours of Saturday morning.
“But also sort of after last year, the year that Novak’s had, I think there’s a very fine line between being No.1 in the world and being three or four.
“I think that gap, I feel tonight I closed it.
“My job over the next two or three months is to surpass him and the guys in front of me. So (it will) take a lot of hard work and hopefully I can do it.”
Murray’s near-miss, after holding three break points in the penultimate game of the marathon encounter, was the first loss in 11 matches since linking with Lendl earlier this month.
The 24-year-old said he’s enjoying having the eight-times major winner in his corner.
“I feel like when you look up at someone like that in the stands it helps,” Murray said.
“Obviously for me, I want to try and repay the sort of faith that he’s shown in me by coming to work with me. So I would have liked to have done obviously better here.
“But hopefully he was happy with the way I did and how I acted on the court.
“Hopefully at the French Open, I’ll do a little bit better.”
Like Murray, Lendl lost his first three grand slam finals and, already, the Czech-born American’s sage advice to his young charge is proving on the money.
Asked what the last thing Lendl said before his epic semi-final, Murray said: “He told me it was going to be painful.
“And he said: ‘You’ll win, but you’re going to have to go through a lot of pain to get there, so be ready for that’.”
Both combatants, good friends and born a week apart, indeed fought through the pain barrier trying valiantly to book a berth in Sunday night’s final with Rafael Nadal.
If Murray had one regret, it was netting a routine backhand on one of his three break points with Djokovic serving at 5-5 in the fifth set.
“It was tough at the end because obviously you come back, then you get close to breaking. To lose, yeah, it’s tough,” the Scot said.
“But (I’m) a different player, a different attitude to this time last year.
“I’m proud of the way I fought … everybody matures at different ages and different rates.
“I feel now like I’m ready mentally.”