Murray has no place to hide from Wimbledon hype

By Pritha Sarkar

LONDON (Reuters) - Whether Andy Murray is walking his dog, picking up a newspaper or going out for dinner over the next few days, the Scot knows there is one thing he cannot escape from.

Wimbledon is only eight days away and, after becoming the first home-grown champion in 71 years at Queen's Club Sunday, there is real anticipation that he could end Britain's long wait for a men's winner at the grasscourt grand slam.

"Regardless of whether it's like this next week or like four months ago, the majority of people that I speak to say, 'Good luck at Wimbledon' because it's kind of how people view tennis in this country," said Murray, who could become the first British man to triumph at the All England Club since Fred Perry in 1936.

"When I go for a walk with the dog, if I happen to bump into someone who my dog is playing with their dog, then I'll have a chat with them.

"But I'm going to live my normal life. I'm not going to start switching the TV off and not listening to radio.

"It doesn't matter what people write and say. It doesn't win me matches and doesn't lose me matches."

But life will be anything but normal for Murray and he can expect to be plastered on the front as well as back pages of British newspapers.

At the age of 22, Murray has a mature outlook on all the hype and the world number three's main goal is to break the Roger Federer-Rafael Nadal stranglehold at the championships.