Murray targeting fourth Australian Open finals by 'preparing' in Abu Dhabi tournament

Wimbledon champion Andy Murray is reportedly setting his sights on reaching a fourth career Australian Open final as he returns to court in Abu Dhabi in his first match since his back surgery on Boxing Day.

The world's top four players are all in Abu Dhabi for the tenuously-titled World Tennis Championships, where they will seek valuable preparation time in a tournament which uses similar courts and equipment to those to be found in Melbourne.

According to Telegraph.com.au, Murray, who has been undergoing a rigorous pre-season training regimen in the US in a bid to recover from the surgery, said that he wants to try and win as much as he can and not lose times in big matches, adding that he wants to give himself the best chance to win the Australian Open by playing in Abu Dhabi.

Stating that not all of the tournaments in the build-up are played on blue courts or with Australian Open balls, the British number one also said that before grand slams, if a player can make it as close as he can to what the top players like to play in, he would get strong fields.

Far from struggling for new motivation after ending his nation's long wait for a Wimbledon men's singles champion last summer, Murray is intent on building on his two grand slam titles to date and pushing all the way towards the year-ending world No.1 ranking, the report added.