Murray to quit if baby comes early

Andy Murray will leave the Australian Open early if his wife goes into labour prematurely.

Kim Sears isn't expecting until mid-February, but Murray told the Daily Mail newspaper that he's prepared to withdraw from the first major of the year if she goes into labour early.

"I'd go home. For sure, yes," Murray said in yesterday's edition. "I want to make sure at the beginning I am there as much as I can be to try and help out, just be there for whatever is really required of me."

The Australian Open, where Murray has reached the final four times but never won, runs from January 18-31.

Regardless of his result, Murray said he's taking off all of February and won't play again until the first round of the Davis Cup in early March at home against Japan. Britain will be defending the trophy that Murray led them to last month.

The second-ranked Murray said he is looking forward to becoming a father.

"I am excited about that," he said. "People have asked me, 'Do you think it will be a distraction?' It might be a distraction, but it's a good distraction.

"It's actually not good to all the time be just concentrating on tennis and your training all of the time. It is important ... when you finish on the practice court, be able to just go away and be with your friends and your family."

Murray also reunited with coach Amelie Mauresmo and her first child Aaron in Dubai this week. Mauresmo gave birth in August and Murray hadn't seen her since Wimbledon in July.

"I really enjoy working with her," he said. "The last six months not seeing her, it's just nice to have her back as part of the team, and get that continuity going again."