Murray’s secrets revealed: ‘be good to yourself’

Tennis firebrand Andy Murray may be renowned for his often harsh on-court demeanour, but behind the Scot's intensity may lie some ironic – and simple – mantras.

A list of Murray's motivational notes, scrawled on the back of a fan's letter, has been published online, providing a rare insight into the physical and mental approach the world number four takes into games.Topping the list of 10 instructions is the reminder to 'be good to yourself', a mental directive that may have been penned to combat his fiery nature that has resulted in regular outbursts of swearing.Number two on the list is the reminder to always 'try your best, while others are more tactical, offering advice like 'keep going for your serve' and 'be intense with your legs'.

.@andy_murray's motivational notes have been revealed... Find out what makes him tick: http://t.co/Ow6HOOgRxq pic.twitter.com/Zal8rhMoUl

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) February 18, 2015

Dutch sports journalist Wilfred Genee obtained an image of Murray's notes after repeatedly watching the world number four looking at the piece of paper during his quarter-final loss to Gilles Simon at last week's Rotterdam Open.

Revealed: Andy Murray’s secret motivational match notes http://t.co/Y1kvZDnHVG pic.twitter.com/MJpXfxneai

— The Sun (@TheSunNewspaper) February 18, 2015

While Genee has been lashed by many for invading Murray's privacy, he said he felt compelled to share the instructions because of their simplicity."No matter how good you are, how far you go, never forget the basics," Genee wrote in his story as he recounted Murray looking at the note at every break like a "kind of ritual", "as if it were a precious treasure".Murray's top 10
1. Be good to yourself
2. Try your best
3. Be intense with your legs
4. Be proactive during points
5. Focus on each point and the process
6. Try to be the one dictating
7. Try to keep him at the baseline, make him move
8. Keep going for your serve
9. Stick to the baseline as much as possible
10. Stay low on passes and use your legs
It still isn't clear if Murray wrote the instructions, or if it was his coach Amelie Mauresmo or someone else.