Andy Murray with the winner's trophy at the Aegon Championship Getty

ANDY MURRAY says he is ready to become a national hero if he wins Wimbledon this year.

The 22-year-old is the second-favourite to win at the All England Club following the withdrawal of defending champion Rafael Nadal.

The world number three has the luck of the draw on his side as Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic are both in the other half and will not face him until the final – if he makes it through.

Murray knows he is carrying the expectations of the nation, but feels he has enough quality to become the first Brit to win Wimbledon since Fred Perry back in 1936.

Murray said: “I'm sure it would be huge news for quite a few weeks. It's been such a long time, and people have been waiting for it, well, forever now.

“I'm sure it would make a difference, but I don't know how big or what changes would be made to British tennis. I'm sure it would be big.”

Murray begins the tournament with a first round clash against American Robert Kendrick on Tuesday and is confident he has enough experience to see his way through the busy two-week schedule.

The British number one may have won his first title on grass at Queen’s last week, but he says reaching the final of the US Open has given him the belief that he can finally win a major tournament.

Murray added: “The US Open was much bigger than winning at Queen's just because it was the first time I'd played seven matches in the two weeks. It's the first time I'd been the whole way in a grand slam. I played a lot of tennis in that tournament.

“I had a few long matches early on and had to deal with things I'd never been through before with the rain delays and switching courts in the semis.

“It's the first time I'd beaten the number one in the world in a slam, and that gave me a lot of confidence, knowing that physically I was able to get to the final match of a slam.

“It's just a matter of playing your best tennis when you get there, which I didn't necessarily do in the final there. But I'll definitely have learned more from that than at Queen's.”

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