Murray back with a bang

Murray won the Valencia Open by beating Russia's Mikhail Youzhny

By Kheredine Idessane
BBC Scotland in Paris

As comebacks go, it wasn't too shabby, was it?

After doing his Davis Cup duty (to the detriment of his left wrist) back in September, Andy Murray probably spent the next six weeks wishing he hadn't been feeling quite so patriotic.

But the lay-off hasn't done him any harm at all. In fact, victory in Valencia has lifted the British number one above every other player on the tour. Nobody else has won six titles this year.

Rafael Nadal has five, one more than Federer. Not that Roger will be shedding too many tears, even after the surprise defeat in the final of his home event in Basel at the weekend. Two of his four wins this season have been grand slams. Andy Murray would swap one of them for all of this year's trophies put together.

Not only does Murray lead the tour in terms of titles won, but another little piece of history has been created. He's the first British man in tennis's open era, which began in 1968, to win six ATP tournaments in the same season.

Wade won nine titles during the 1971 season - a record for a Briton

Even so, even if Andy Murray were to win here in Paris and then scoop the Masters Finals at London's O2 Arena later this month, he'd still fall short of the magnificent nine wins Virginia Wade notched up back in 1971. (Did you know her first name is actually Sarah? Sarah Virginia "Ginny" Wade, often overlooked when discussing the last Brit to win Wimbledon. If you're thinking Fred Perry, think again and remember 1977.)

Then again, "Ginny" hardly had to overcome the female equivalents of Federer, Nadal, Novak Djokovic et al back in the early seventies. So Andy Murray's six wins so far is quite an achievement. It's also an example of the one thing he aims to do every year. Improve on the season before.

He took his first title in 2006 in San Jose and won two more in 07 before his real breakthrough season yielded five last year. Fourteen in total. Not bad for someone who's only been on the pro circuit for four years.

No time to rest on his laurels though. He's already here in Paris, attempting to do a "Tim". Henman won the Masters title here at Bercy in 2003, one of the best wins of his career. Murray hasn't progressed beyond the quarter-finals in his previous visits and he'll have his work cut out to improve on that this time around.

Blake will be Murray's first opponent in Paris this week

His first opponent, the American James Blake, is a former world number four. After him, the number 13 seed, Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic, could lie in wait before a possible quarter-final against the new US Open champion, Juan Martin del Potro.

If all goes to plan for the seedings committee, it would then be a semi-final against world number one Federer. Nadal and Djokovic are in the other half of the draw.

A tough week lies ahead then for the new Valencia Open champion. But he's yet to lose a match this season on the indoor hard courts, arguably his favourite surface. Eight of his 14 tour titles have been won indoors.

So don't be too surprised if Andy Murray's holding up more silverware at the end of the week. I'm sure his wrist will be able to take the strain.