Former world number four Greg Rusedski believes three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray doesn't back down from being challenged as that rather helps him than it makes it more difficult.
Murray, 30, would love to make a splash at next month's Wimbledon and win his first big title of the season, and a first Grand Slam title in a year as he hasn't won a Major tournament since last year's winning run at The All England Club.
The Scot's season includes a round-of-16 showing at the Australian Open as well as a couple of early exits at the Masters 1000 events and a recent notable run at Roland Garros where he was able to reach as far as the semi-final stage.
Murray, the top-ranked tennis player in the world, has ended champion only once this year -- in February, at the ATP 500 event in Dubai.
Murray certainly didn't expect to be in this position at this part of the year before the season started but a strong run at The Championships could make it all look better.
''Andy has never been in need motivation,'' Rusedski told The Evening Times. ''He is one of the hardest workers out there. But he does like a challenge.
''He does like something extra out there to motivate him, so I can’t wait for this Wimbledon. Last year I thought it was Andy’s year. This year it is much more open. For Andy to win the title in back-to-back years would be fantastic.''
Gunning for a historic success
Greg Rusedski also opinioned that Andy Murray ''would like to try'' to win all four Grand Slam events.
Murray, a two-time Wimbledon and once US Open champion, needs to go all the way at the Australian Open and Roland Garros in order to complete a Career Grand Slam.
The Scot was close ending champion in Melbourne so many times in his career but fell short five times in the final of the tournament. The 30-year-old's best chance to win it all at Roland Garros came last year when he ended at the runner-up spot to Serb Novak Djokovic.
Murray has a shot, though it won't be easy
Andy Murray can complete a Career Grand Slam as early as in the first half of the 2018 tennis season. The Scot lost early on at the Australian Open this year before getting knocked out in the semi-final stage at Roland Garros by Swiss Stan Wawrinka.
Winning an Australian Open title still remains a realistic option for Murray as he has been one of the most consistent players in Melbourne in the last decade or so.
However, putting in a victorious run on the clay of Paris seems to be a tougher ask for Murray, though his results in the last two year's at the French Major event have proved that he is capable of playing good tennis on his least favorite surface.
Also, there is a time factor, as Murray has entered his thirties this past May.
