Andy Murray is still “apprehensive” about travelling to New York during the pandemic but says he has switched on “mentally” to playing in the US Open at the end of next month and has fine-tuned his training accordingly. “Four or five weeks ago, we were pretty sceptical,” Murray said on the eve of the Battle Of The Brits team tournament his brother, Jamie, has organised at the National Tennis Centre at Roehampton. “My training the past week and during the event this week is to try to get in shape for the US Open. If it wasn’t happening, my schedule would be different. Mentally, I’m planning for it to go ahead, but I’ll be apprehensive. “I was thinking about travelling somewhere beforehand to get in some hot-weather training. But then you’re increasing your risk of catching the virus, which means you can’t train or travel for a couple of weeks, which could then put playing a grand slam in doubt. Hopefully it can go ahead but, if not, I’m also OK with that. It’s not like I’m saying it must go ahead. We need to try to get back to competing when it’s safe to do so. “Some sports have gone back, and seem to have done pretty well – football, for example. The issue for us is the travel. Hopefully we’re getting tested before we arrive, and once we get there. The players, the staff and everyone, we’re in this secure bubble. Everything will be fine – that is my hope.” Murray had planned to warm up in the Citi Open in Washington, but travel restrictions – which since have been eased – forced cancellation of the tournament. “I might play qualifying in the Cincinnati Masters [in New York the week before the US], or I could take a wildcard. The last time I played the week before a slam I would have been 19,” he said. “I’m not particularly keen on playing back-to-back. For a lot of the guys it’ll be five, six months [since they played], but for me it’s 10 months since I last competed properly.” Joanna Konta has also indicated she will compete in New York. “We haven’t had any [WTA player council] meetings for a few weeks but everything is pointing in the direction that it is going to go ahead,” the British No 1 said. “Just basing my opinion on all the information that is there, I think it probably will.”