Bridgetown (Barbados): Reigning Wimbledon and Olympic champion Andy Murray says he is looking forward to returning to the Caribbean, one of his favourite places in the world, to participate in Barbados' Dream Cup to be held Nov 31-Dec 1.
Murray will headline the third edition of the Dream Cup organised to inspire and realise dream opportunities for young, aspiring Barbadians, through collaboration and the creation of a uniquely, intimate world-class tennis event in a Caribbean setting.
The 26-year-old Scot, who has been playing for Britain since the age of 12, is currently ranked number three in the world.
In an interview Murray said he last visited the Caribbean after winning Wimbledon.
"It's one of my favourite parts of the world to go on holiday. It's such an easy place to relax, I'll be spending the next few months getting my fitness back, so when I'm not on the court I'll be in the gym or pilates studio," he said.
Murray said that while he will be taking the Dream Cup competition seriously he plans to take time off to enjoy the pleasures the destination had to offer.
"I tend to be serious on the court, but off it I'm a different character and will have no problem adjusting to the Barbadian way of life. The matches will be good fun, a very good standard in an unbelievable setting."
Ask whether winning Wimbledon was for him his dream achievement and the crowning moment of his career, Murray said that as meaningful as that landmark was he plans to keep on winning.
"Winning Wimbledon to me is the pinnacle of tennis, however the goal for me will always the same, to keep winning."
Murray was not without advice for young aspiring tennis players from Barbados and the rest of the Caribbean whose dream it is to qualify for an international event.
"Work hard, you can have all the ability in the world, but it's extremely important that you work on every aspect of your game. There are always things you can improve, and always areas to progress. The most important thing is to have fun and just enjoy playing tennis," he advised.
He said that while Ivan Lendl has become his coach, he was not necessarily one of his idols in his earlier years.
"I didn't watch too much of Ivan growing up, as he was a bit before my time. When I was younger, it was all about Andre Agassi, I used to love watching him play and imitating him on court, I even owned a pair of his infamous denim shorts."
The British sports icon identified Marat Safin as his most terrifying adversary.
"The first time I played him I was quite young and new to the tour, he's a great player and looked huge from my end of the court, so I was pretty nervous the first time I played him," he noted.
He said that other than the grass courts of Wimbledon, the hard courts of New York have always been among his favourite surfaces.
Asked about his favourite food and music, more specifically whether he was a Rihanna fan, Murray retorted, "I've got a quite a varied music taste, but I would be lying if I said I didn't have a few of her songs in my current playlist."
As for the food, "I like a lot of different types of food but sushi would probably edge it."
The novel prize on offer for the Dream Cup is $500,000 worth of beachfront accommodation for five years at St. Peter's Bay.
