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Paris - Andy Murray stared down at the remnants of another Grand Slam campaign gone unrewarded with a major title at the French Open on Friday and vowed that he would do all it takes to finally win one.
The problem he said is that the level of modern tennis is changing so fast and becoming so physically and mentally demanding that it was tough just to stay the pace.
Speaking after his straight sets loss to Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals at Roland Garros, Murray, when asked what he had learned from Novak Djokovic's superb form this year replied: "Just get better."
"You know I've won against Roger (Federer) and Rafa before quite a few times. I've won against Novak quite a few times.
"But every year our tennis gets better, and I said at the beginning of the claycourt season to the guys that I work with that I feel like tennis has gone to a different level than it was physically.
"Even in comparison with two years ago, I feel like players are quicker. I feel like they're hitting the ball harder. I feel like everyone has improved a lot.
"That's just my opinion from being on tour now for six, seven years. I feel like the speed of the game has changed, and you need to do things in your training and your practice to allow yourself to get up to that level and stay there."
Next up for Murray will be fully recovering from the tendon tear he suffered in his right ankle while winning in the third round and then preparing as best he can for what will be his sixth Wimbledon campaign.
To date his best efforts have been runs into the semi-finals in the last two years losing to Andy Roddick in 2009 and Nadal last year.
And once again the spotlight will be blazing at him as he tries yet again to become the first British man to win a Grand Slam title since Fred Perry in 1936.
"I mean, everything. Obviously that's what I practice for," he said when asked what it would mean to him to win at Wimbledon.
"I have to prepare now the next two weeks like I'm going to be the Wimbledon champion; that's the only way to get there.
"I have to treat myself like I am going to win Wimbledon. I need to do all the right things, practice the right way and the way that I need to play, to win Wimbledon, not how Novak plays or how Roger plays, how my game will win Wimbledon.
"It would be an unbelievable feeling, I'm sure. I've always enjoyed playing there. I've always had good results there, and I hope in a couple of weeks that I can play my best tennis.
"I've definitely got a chance of winning if I play my best."
