There is Treacle and Claggs, Jez and Needles; there is a former Editor of The Sun and Sir Richard Branson; there are Mum and Dad and Grandad and, of course, there is the lovely Kimberley. The membership of Team Murray is steadily growing and, last night, every member of the extended family had their own job to do.

Treacle is Matt Little, the ever upbeat 31-year-old Charlton Athletic fanatic and the strength and conditioning coach whose top tip is “smile”. He is in charge of Murray’s fitness training, stretching routines, massage and “providing stimulating banter”.

Jez Green devised Murray’s fitness programme. He is a former kick-boxer who also works for the Monte Carlo Tennis Academy. His ethos is “train hard, train smart, recover well”.

Claggs is Miles Maclagan, 33, the former British Davis Cup international, born in Zambia of Scottish antecedents, who is quiet, thorough, hard-working and tactically astute. He had been successfully coaching various doubles teams on the ATP tour when Murray asked him to become his coach. Maclagan, one of the most likeable men in the sport, has risen to the challenge softly and efficiently.

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Needles – because he tends to run after members of the team with acupuncture needles – is Andy Ireland, 36, the physiotherapist who has his own practice in Surrey, works for the LTA at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton, southwest London, and is at Murray’s beck and call when required. He says: “Playing tennis at a high level places incredible demands on the body. . . it is my job to help Andy remain as injury-free as possible.”

Murray’s parents, though divorced, have been rock-like influences. Judy was a Scottish champion who won 64 titles and is the person he turns to first. Willie Murray drove Andy to his first event as a professional and watches sporadically. Judy’s father, Roy Erksine, who played professional football for Hibernian in the mid1950s, is also in attendance, a regular follower of his grandson and doting devotee of the sport. Kimberley Sears, Murray’s girlfriend of two years, is the daughter of Nigel Sears, Great Britain’s Fed Cup women’s team captain.

In the background are Patricio Apey, managing director of Acegroup and Murray’s manager, and Stuart Higgins, head of SH Communications and a former Editor of The Sun who was brought in earlier this year to enhance his public relations.

The newest member, Sir Richard Branson, has entertained Judy and Andy Murray to dinner at his Oxford mansion and said yesterday that he was “thrilled” to have been invited to the semi-final and yesterday’s final at Flushing Meadows.