London, June 28: The pressure Andy Murray feels at Wimbledon actually helps him concentrate better, the defending champion said here Wednesday.
The 2013 and 2016 winner who has also been seeded No. 1 in the men’s draw has struggled for consistency this year, failing to win any of his five clay events and making an early exit at the Queen’s Club earlier this month. Murray has won eight titles on grass including Wimbledon last year.
“I want to try and win here another time if I can and I think there is a good chance that I could do it if I prepare properly and play well,” Murray told ‘Sky Sports’. “I love playing on grass, it has been my most successful surface in my career and if I could get to three it would be a great achievement.”
A third Wimbledon title will put Murray in a group that includes Briton Fred Perry, World No. 4 Novak Djokovic and German great Boris Becker.
“It is nerve-racking, I get very nervous and I feel the pressure before Wimbledon every year,” Murray pointed out. “There are more demands on your time than other times of the year, but I do feel like the pressure and the spotlight also makes me concentrate more. I do find it stressful but I think it helps me concentrate better, play better,” he added.
Meanwhile world rankings took a toss as organisers announced the seedings Wednesday. Djokovic was seeded second, Roger Federer third and Rafa Nadal fourth. This is the first time since Wimbledon 2014, that the ‘Fab Four’ has again featured in the top four of the seedings. Nadal is currently ranked second in the world while Federer is eighth.
World No.3 Stan Wawrinka – overwhelmed by Nadal in the French Open final – has never reached the last four at Wimbledon and hence he has been seeded fifth.
The women’s draw sees World No.1 and last year’s beaten finalist Angelique Kerber of Germany top the seedings with Romania’s Simona Halep, Czech Karolina Pliskova and Ukrainian Elina Svitolina rounding up the top four. AGENCIES