Amelie Mauresmo tells reporters that Andy Murray’s Australian Open performance was a step in the right direction for the two-time Grand Slam champion.

More: Frustrated with Djokovic's Antics, Murray Melted into Oblivion in Final

“We have already made important progress—the little things are still to be worked on,” she told reporters, according to tennis.com’s Matt Cronin. “There is not a lot of frustration. He did what he could today. He gave his best. At the end we saw it wasn’t enough. It’s a bit hard, but that’s how it is."

Unfortunately for Murray, there was a lot of frustration during the final. Midway through the third set the Scot lost his cool in a big way during the most critical games of the match. Djokovic would seize the opportunity to reel off the final nine games en route to his 8th career Grand Slam title.

Murray would later claim that he had become distracted by Djokovic’s health struggles. It's a case of the pot calling the kettle black, as Murray has developed a reputation over the years for pawing at his injuries and limping around in agony on court only to recover and race to victory.

Furthermore, Murray should have known Djokovic, now one of the most durable and well-conditioned athletes on tour, was going to be around for the long haul.

Nevertheless, by playing the sort of brilliant tennis that he's more than capable of playing, Murray did put himself in position to win another Slam, which is more than he was able to muster in 2014 after returning from minor back surgery and parting ways with his coach Ivan Lendl.

“He has really succeeded in finding his level of play,” Mauresmo said, according to Cronin. “Of course, there is a little disappointment after a loss in a final, which is normal. But we will all look back on where he has come from to where he is at now. There are still a few steps to climb before maybe holding a Grand Slam trophy again, but the gap is closing.”

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