PMA helps Andy Murray close in on ATP Paris Masters

Andy Murray believes a positive mental attitude has kept him fit and focused ahead of next months ATP World Tour Finals.

Murray says his PMA has helped his recent turnaround in form and moved him to within touching distance of making the finals.

The Scot is currently fifth in the Race to London and is again knocking on the door of the top three after a thrilling run which has seen him win tournaments in Shenzhen, Vienna and Valencia all in the space of a month.

Murray now needs to reach the quarter-finals at this week’s Paris Masters to guarantee a seventh straight appearance at the season-ending finale.

Following his back surgery, Murray slipped from fourth in January to 12th in the rankings last month although he had to wait until September to win his first title of the season against Robredo at the Shenzhen Open in China.

He then came from 5-3 down in final set to beat David Ferrer in the Austrian capital before another quite remarkable victory over the popular 32-year-old Robredo in Spain last weekend.

Britain’s number 1 will be looking to continue a rich vein of form when he takes on Frenchman Julien Benneteau in the round of 32 of the Paris Masters this afternoon.

“The first four, five months of the year were tough but I kept going at it and I felt like I was making improvements throughout the last few months,” said Murray.

“I managed to turn the season around in the last few weeks and still there are a couple of tournaments left to finish it off well.

“The mental side of the game is obviously very important. Most of the players I think would agree with that and over the last few weeks, the finals that I’ve won, the tournaments that I’ve won, I’ve saved 10 match points in Shenzhen and the final in Valencia.

“And then the other one (in Vienna) Ferrer was serving for the match. I just tried to keep going and keep playing right through to the last point everytime and got the rewards for it.”