Will Andy Murray Dominate Tennis In 2013

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"'He knows exactly what he has to do now.' -Darren Cahill"

That’s five wins on the trot now for world No. 3 Andy Murray as he kicks off the 2013 tennis season.

Can his run of solid form continue through the year’s first Grand Slam, the Australian Open -- and beyond?

The season is in its nascent stages, but Murray is already off to his usual strong start Down Under.

Before the start of the tournament, he defended his title at the warm-up event in Brisbane. And in the first round in Melbourne, Murray defeated Dutchman Robin Haase in straight sets. At the 2011 U.S. Open, Haase pushed Murray to five sets early in the tournament before falling.

Of course, a lot has happened for Murray since then, perhaps nothing more important than capturing his first Grand Slam title at last year’s U.S. Open, beating Novak Djokovic in the final.

That win put an end to talk about whether Murray deserved his place in the ATP’s “Big 4” alongside multiple Major winners Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. It also lifted the weight of a nation off his back, as Murray became the first British male to win a Grand Slam title in more than 70 years.

So now that the Slamless monkey is off his back, can Murray maintain his level of play?

“There’s more swagger in his step,” said Darren Cahill, an ESPN commentator and former coach to Andre Agassi and Lleyton Hewitt, in a conference call before the Australian Open. “He knows exactly what he has to do now.”

Before last year, Murray consistently notched wins against Djokovic, Federer and Nadal, but when it came to the later stages of the Grand Slams, Murray came up short. In fact, he lost the first four Major finals of his career before his U.S. Open win: at the 2008 U.S. Open, the Australian Open in 2010 and 2011, and at Wimbledon last year. Three of those defeats came at the hands of Federer.

But Murray picked up a statement win over Federer at last year’s Summer Olympics, defeating the Swiss legend easily in the gold medal match on the lawns of Wimbledon, where he’d just lost a close title match for the most prestigious prize in tennis.

It was a momentous occasion in Murray’s career, in a year full of them. Perhaps one of the biggest moves Murray made over the course of 2012 was a significant coaching change: bringing in former world No. 1 Ivan Lendl for guidance.

Lendl, one of the most accomplished players of all time, had something in common with Murray in that he also lost his first four Grand Slam finals before breaking through at the 1984 French Open. From that point on, Lendl went on to win seven of his next 14 Major championship round appearances.

Having the counsel of someone who’s been in a similar situation has definitely reaped Murray benefits. And while Lendl has helped Murray with the mental aspects of the game, there have also been technical benefits to the partnership as well, said Cahill.

“He’s putting more weight behind his forehand. And he’s moving the second serve around. And that first serve is now one of the biggest in the game."

More power. Improved temperament. Wins over two of his three main rivals in prestige tournaments. Three of the four Grand Slams played in conditions that best suit his game. Two major titles under his belt and, perhaps most important of all, no outside pressure.

It could all add up to Murray making 2013 a year to remember.