Andy Murray's motivational notes revealed: 'Be good to yourself'

Andy Murray reminds himself to 'Be proactive during points'. Photo / AP

Never known for his personality or particularly riveting or revealing interviews, a sneak peak at Andy Murray's on-court motivational notes is perhaps the closest we may get to "the man within".

A Dutch journalist posted a picture of Murray reading an A4 sheet of paper with 10 motivational phrases during his match last Friday against Gilles Simon. Murray was playing in the quarterfinal of the ABN Amro World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam.

Wilfred Genee tweeted the hand-written note yesterday, a number of days after the world number four lost in two sets to the Frenchman.

Genee described in an article how Murray would look at the note regularly, like some sort of ritual, and he became intrigued as to what was written on the paper. Eventually, he managed to get a hold of the sheet of A4.

Het briefje van Andy Murray. pic.twitter.com/6HGldmBndC

— Wilfred Genee (@wilfredgenee) February 17, 2015

Genee reveals that he thought about the note - formed in "childlike handwriting" - a lot over the weekend and realised how impressive and important Murray's message was: no matter how far you go, never forget the basics. The quotes range from simple directives - "try your best" - to more technical ones - "Keep going for your serve" and "Stay low on passes and use your legs".

Motivating Murray
1. Be good to yourself
2. Try your best
3. Be intense with your legs
4. Be proactive during points
5. Focus on each point and the process
6. Try to be the one dictating
7. Try to keep him at the baseline, make him move
8. Keep going for your serve
9. Stick to the baseline as much as possible
10. Stay low on passes and use your legs

Of course, no one is sure who wrote the note: Murray, his coach Amelie Mauresmo, his fiance Kim Sears or even his mother, Judy?

Well, despite Murray's loss against Simon last Friday, the British number one has had a promising start to 2015, already making an appearance in the Australian Open Final. Murray has struggled since his Wimbledon 2013 win, with a long-term back injury and a change in coach.

Maybe the simple note is beginning to change things around in 2015.

- The Independent