Andy Murray is ready to defend his Madrid Open title as he hopes to play at a high level on the red-clay courts of the Manzanares Park Tennis Center.
Murray, who bids for a third title in Madrid, admitted winning a big event like the ATP 1000 Masters Madrid is important, but the world No. 2 was quick to admit clay-tournaments have not given him good results since winning the tournament last year. But despite the clay-court losing slump, the Scot likes his chances of winning in the Spanish capital.
"It's quite different conditions here obviously playing at altitude," Murray said, reports the ATP's official website.
"There are no easy matches. I'm here to try and hopefully play at a high level. If I do that, I give myself a chance to win. But obviously I like the conditions here. They are good for me. Hopefully I can play well."
After losing in the semifinals of the Monte Carlo Masters against Rafael Nadal, Murray is hoping his practice sessions with the Spaniard in Mallorca and his training with Novak Djokovic in Madrid would translate well once he hits the clay-courts of the Madrid Open.
Murray could face Nadal in the semifinal round of the event, and if the 28-year-old from Glasgow, UK is lucky enough to reach the final round, he has a shot at facing Djokovic for the second time this year.
"I think everyone prepares for tournaments to try to give themselves the best chance to play well when the tournament starts," Murray added.
"Getting to practice with the best player in the world is great preparation for me. I've had some good practices against the best players. That's very important. I don't get that when I'm back home, so I need to make the most of it when I'm at these events."
Murray opens his title defense against Czech Radek Stepanek, who defeated Canada's Vasek Pospisil 6-1 6-7(4) 6-4. Murray leads Stepanek by 5-2 in their FedEx ATP Head2Head matchup, but the 37-year-old Czech has won their last outing back in 2014 at the Queen's Club in London.
If Murray could avoid another Round of 32 loss, a losing-streak he sustained in Indian Wells and Miami Open, he could face the likes of Gilles Simon, Pablo Carreno Busta and Grigor Dimitrov.