It would seem that rumours of the demise of “Booty and Stretch” have been exaggerated. Less than four weeks after they announced they were breaking up their burgeoning doubles partnership, Jamie Murray (Stretch) and Eric Butorac (Booty) will reunite this week at the US Open.

Murray will join forces with Leander Paes, of India, in tournaments in Bangkok and Tokyo in the autumn, but, having won two of their three titles indoors, he and Butorac could feature together later in the year. “We might play together in the indoor tournaments,” Murray said. “We play well together, serve big and know each other’s games so well. There’s a good chance we’re going to be seeded [at the US Open], which is a first for us at a grand slam, so that’s pretty cool.”

After winning three titles in their first five months as a pairing, there was surprise when the two announced earlier this month that they were to split. Reports suggested that Murray’s mixed doubles triumph at Wimbledon with Jelena Jankovic, of Serbia, and a few disappointing results had taken the gloss off their partnership, but Butorac said that they would be fine inI New York.

“A lot of the press has made a bigger deal out of it than it was,” the American said. “We probably aren’t quite as close as we were. At one stage, we were pretty inseparable. Then we didn’t want to be around each other. Now we’re probably somewhere between.”

Both reached the semi-finals of the warm-up event in New Haven last week and look to be in good form. “I feel very good about my game and Jamie had a couple of good wins, so we should be feeling confident,” Butorac said. “Jamie and I have played so much together that there won’t be any problem slipping back into form.”

Murray revealed that Paes, the former world No 1 doubles player, had approached him. “I didn’t think about it too much because I was playing with Booty and we were playing well,” Murray said. “He kept asking me and I thought, ‘It’s a great opportunity to try and play with someone like that.’ ” Paes said that Murray has the ability to go to the top. “I have a talent for spotting something special in people,” he said. “I spotted it a year ago when he was relatively unknown. It’s that X-factor thing.”

Butorac said tha he understood why Murray would want to play with Paes, but believed he would be a better partner in the long run. “Paes is 34. It might be fun to play a couple of tournaments with him, but in a year or two I’m probably going to be the better player,” Butorac said. “I hope Jamie realises that.”

Murray will not be renewing his partnership with Jankovic and plays in the mixed doubles with Liezel Huber, of the United States, instead. The Serb turned down the Scot to concentrate on her attempt to win her first grand-slam singles title. “He understands because, obviously, singles is my priority,” Jankovic said. “In the future, I would love to play with him.”