Audio By Carbonatix
If he was not such a committed and down-to-earth sportsman, you could imagine that fame might have started to turn Andy Murray's head by the time he set out last night for a celebratory evening meal with his entourage at Nobu in London's West End.
Having completed a large round of media interviews, the new Wimbledon champion had spent the afternoon taking tea in Downing Street with David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband. Earlier in the day the Prime Minister, when talking about Murray's suitability for a knighthood, said: 'I can't think of anyone who deserves one more.'
Murray, nevertheless, has never shown any inclination to be distracted by fame or fortune. He is now planning a short holiday, after which he will be back on the court preparing for his next tournament, the Montreal Masters, which begins in four weeks' time. He will start his training for the north American hard-court season – and the defence of his US Open title – in his second home of Miami, where his coach, Ivan Lendl, can be relied on to ensure that his charge has not gone soft.
"I don't know exactly how I am going to respond when I get back on the practice court, but the people around you can help a lot with that," Murray said yesterday during a return visit to the scene of his triumph the previous day. The Scot looked in surprisingly good shape given that he had had just one hour's sleep following a late night out at the Wimbledon Champions' Dinner and an early-morning start.
"I know in Ivan's head that he is not content with how the last 18 months have gone. He will think I could have won the Australian Open this year and to get me ready for the US Open he will train me really hard over in Miami.
"I think that is huge having somebody like that in your corner. He was the ultimate competitor as a player and he loved winning. His consistency was amazing. He made eight consecutive US Open finals and there was no let-down for him. I hope having him in my corner will help out a lot."
Murray added: "I hope I don't lose hunger. I think I should be able to use this as motivation. I know what it's like to lose in a Wimbledon final and I know what it is like winning one. It's a lot better winning, so the hard work is worth it.
"I've just got to make sure I don't get side-tracked by anything and that after the next few days – enjoying and celebrating – I'll go away, rest up and get ready for the US Open. I've never had to defend a Grand Slam before. That will be a new experience for me and I'll look forward to that."
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