THE information coming out of the Wimbledon locker room isn’t often erroneous, and I’m reliably informed that Andy Murray sought a little solitude after losing his semi-final to Andy Roddick and took out his frustration on the tools of his trade. When he walked in after that match he had a bagful of fully functional rackets. A couple of minutes later they were mangled, broken and consigned to the rubbish. Temper and frustration need to be vented at times. Any top tennis player will know the feeling.

Murray isn’t the first man to smash his rackets in annoyance and won’t be the last. Many of those vandals from the past have been grand slam champions and I remain firmly of the opinion that it will only be a matter of time before the fiery Scot gets his name on that list. In fact I think we could be talking in weeks rather than months or even years.

Losing a tennis match is a far greater educational tool than winning. In time you come to realise certain things and learn from them. Anyone as hugely talented as Andy will move on and there isn’t anyone I’ve talked to who does not think that very soon he will succeed in a major. Hard courts have always been his chosen surface, New York his favourite major venue even before he won the junior title there five years ago. I’m not alone in the belief that he will finally become a major champion at the US Open, which begins in just eight weeks.

Murray’s record on American cement stands up against anyone’s in the past couple of years. In March he won the Miami title, which many maintain is unofficially the game’s fifth major, although I won’t agree with that until matches are played over the best of five sets rather than three. Nevertheless, it’s the most prestigious event on the tour outside the four grand slams, so the champion is a man to be respected.

We can only speculate on how focused the top two will be when the time comes to get down to business at Flushing Meadows. The common belief is that Roger Federer will have lifted his 15th major trophy by then, celebrated the beating of Pete Sampras’ record and safely banked his Wimbledon winner’s cheque. He will also have become a father and after winning five successive US Open titles perhaps his mind just might be on other things for a while.

Hopefully Rafael Nadal will be fit to try and win the one major that has eluded him but the unforgiving hard court season is probably the last thing his aching knees need as a place to stage something of a comeback. Knowing the man, he will be desperate to get back and it will be hard to prevent him but I’d be amazed if we saw Rafa at his best on the courts where his tendonitis problems first came to light a couple of years ago.

So where do we look for the main contenders? Juan Martin del Potro will be in the running. So too will Fernando Verdasco, who seemed to suggest he was bordering on very top class at January’s Australian Open but has struggled to fulfil that billing on the clay and grass. And, of course, Roddick will be very much in the hunt.

However, take Murray away from the pressurised spotlight he is forced under at Wimbledon and I believe he will take the last big step and become a grand slam champion. He is hungry to succeed and after a break will be yearning to get back to some hard work in his favoured Florida practice facilities. Though he doesn’t intend playing any tournaments until the two North American Masters 1000 series in Montreal beginning on August 10 and in Cincinnati a week later, I’m assuming there will be some improvements to his game.

Murray said after losing on Friday that he intends to sharpen up his net game, which is music to my ears. I think it’s clear to everyone who winced at the way Roddick repeatedly punished Murray’s weak second serve that the Scot needs to concentrate hard on that department, because to me it’s a glaring weakness and the one aspect of his game that could hold him back. Far too many balls were coming in short and underpowered, just begging to be attacked.

Roddick didn’t hesitate to take advantage, as any top-class opponent would. At times it almost seems a gift and although the kick serve is a very handy option, as was the case in Murray’s previous rounds, things didn’t work well during Friday’s semi-final.

I’m not sure whether Murray is 100% content on grass but he is totally at home on cement. Of course he will be one of the major contenders in New York, but things won’t be anywhere near as restricting for him.

Nevertheless, I was amazed at the media circus that surrounded his pre-match hit on Friday and wonder who chose the practice court, right next to the car park where about 10 television cameras and scores more telephoto lenses were trained on his every move.

This was one of the most important days in his career. This was a time when he needed to be completely relaxed with his team and not compromised in any way. Sure, he wants to improve his image but there’s a time and a place. If it was up to me I would have made sure that last hit was a private affair and not another photo opportunity. It’s a matter of getting your priorities in the right order.

Miles Maclagan is a good coach. The guys in the Team Murray fitness set-up have obviously done a very good job. Andy is a hugely talented player who is barely 22 years old and still has so much time on his side. Sure, he was disappointed with the way things turned out against Roddick but trust me, the big triumph is very close at hand. Then he will be able to afford to smash as many rackets as he likes.