When the ATP rankings were published on Monday, there was a new man sitting next to the number 3. Andy Murray leap frogged Serbian Novak Djokovic to become, officially, the third best player in the world.
For months no one disagreed with the notion that Murray was one of the top three best players in the world and despite the obvious talents of Djokovic, Murray has now, without doubt, surpassed the young Serb.
The next step now is to go even further, as Murray is not content with settling for the number three spot, despite being the first Briton to reach this ranking in the open era.
Above him though are the current holders of all four grand slam titles.
Rafael Nadal, the owner of the Australian, French and Wimbledon titles, currently lies at the top of the tree, ahead of the US Open Champion, and arguably the best tennis player ever to string a racket, Roger Federer.
Murray's record against Federer is a sign that when Murray says he wants to be inside the top two, his aim isn't too far fetched. In eight meetings on tour, Murray has beaten Federer on six occasions, showing that Murray can mix it with the best and beat them.
However for Murray to reach his target and take one more step towards the number one ranking he will have to do something that no British man has done, not just in the open era, but since 1936...win a Grand Slam.
The question is though when, and more importantly where, will Murray pick up his first major?
As mentioned previously on this blog, the chances of anyone other than Nadal winning at Roland Garros at the end of the month is none to none (and yes I meant to write none to none), so you can count out the French Open title, and even if Nadal wasn't there, Murray wouldn't be one of the favourites to win the title anyway, despite his clear improvements on clay.
Wimbledon, a month later would be a better opportunity, and a fairytale venue for the Brit to win his first Grand Slam, but in the shape of the top two, Nadal and Federer, you find two men who have only lost to each other in the last three years on the grass, and Nadal, in last years Wimbledon Quarter Final, gave Murray a lesson on how to play on grass.
For Murray to do what he has to do, to even contemplate breaking into the top two, his best bet is at the US Open in September.
Murray was losing finalist at Flushing Meadows last season, and states that his favourite Grand Slam is the US Open, and his game is clearly most suited to the higher bouncing hard courts than the grass courts that zip and the clay courts that do the exact opposite and slow everything down.
There is no one who is brave enough to honestly say that Murray will never win a Grand Slam, however it's not likely to come this year, but its more likely than any other year previously, and if Murray is to reach his stated aim, of breaking the top two men in the world over the past 6 or 7 years, then he must pick up at the very least one of what those two above him have in abundance, one of the greatest prizes in tennis.
Over the years Murray has always been outspoken about his targets, reach the top 100, reach the top 75, reach the top 50, reach the top 20, reach the top 10, reach the top 5 by this date, and this date and so on, and so far, Murray has achieved every target he has set, so if he says he aims to break the top two and split apart the two most dominant men in the recent history of men's tennis, then who am I to bet against him?
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