AS Andy Murray landed back in the UK at Heathrow yesterday morning to applause and cheers as the newly crowned US Open champion, life on the tennis tour continued for his brother Jamie as he took to an indoor hard court in Luxembourg for a Challenger event.

The contrast is quite something, but such is the nature of the tour that Jamie can't afford to take time off to welcome his brother home and join in the celebrations. Currently ranked No.45 in the world in doubles and with a stack of points to defend over the coming weeks, the hard work must continue for Jamie in Petange, a town with a population of little more than 7000.

Jamie continued the Murray theme of success, teaming up with Brazil's Andre Sa to clinch a first-round straight-sets victory. Scheduled first up on court at 11am, it is just as well he had not been asked to play the previous day, after staying up late to watch his brother finally achieve what he has worked so hard for.

"I just watched it in the hotel here until 3am in the morning," said Jamie. "It was a late night. It was worth it, though."

While his mother Judy and the rest of Team Murray sat in the player's box, Jamie had to settle for a Eurosport television feed with French commentary, but he was quite content with his viewing position, far removed from the pressure-filled environment courtside in New York.

"I don't normally sit in the box at his matches," he said. "I don't really enjoy the match that way, although I'm sure if I was there I would have watched it in the stadium somewhere. I was happy watching it in front of the TV. It's a bit less stressful.

"I guess it maybe would have been nice to watch it with British commentary. It was great just being able to watch the match. It was great he was able to win."

Jamie clearly takes much satisfaction in seeing his younger brother finally accomplish what so many had wondered would ever happen. He knows more than most what it means to Andy, having been by his side on the doubles court in the midst of his previous post-grand slam final slumps.

But just what has Jamie seen in his brother this year that has helped him overcome the grand slam hurdle?

"I think the mental side is the thing that was missing the most really from his performances in those previous matches," said Jamie, "whether it was grand slam finals or sometimes in the semis when he has come up against those guys [Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic].

"But all this year and in all those matches he has performed a lot better; the mental side is a huge part of that, whether that's been [Ivan] Lendl's influence or him just maturing and getting older. I'm sure it's probably a bit of both. It's combined well and I think that's what has got him over the finishing line in one of those tournaments."

Jamie has spent a good deal of time on the practice court this year with Andy and coach Lendl. Both keen and skilled golfers, Jamie hopes to fit in a round of 18 holes before the end of the year with the Czech, who has fitted right into the Team Murray camp.

"He's a bit of a character," said Jamie. "He seems to get on really well with Andy, which is obviously important, and I think Andy shows a lot of trust in him. And that's helped him to get the most out of their relationship."

With Andy taking on a media frenzy of interviews since Monday night, the brothers have not had a chance to chat yet. Messages have been sent, though, and Jamie has resisted the temptation to exchange any banter about Andy finally catching up with him in the grand slam title count five years after Jamie won the mixed doubles at Wimbledon with Jelena Jankovic.

"I just wrote to him as he was so busy after the match with all the media and whatnot," said Jamie. "I told him well done and all that stuff. I will probably chat to him today or tomorrow or whatever."

After a busy period of tournaments in the coming fortnight, in Jamie will play with Sa in Metz and Bangkok, he will likely next see Andy face-to-face in Tokyo, where the pair will hope to defend the Japan Open doubles title they won together last year.

Jamie has not ruled out the possibility of aiming to claim grand-slam success on the doubles court at Wimbledon together with his brother one day, although that would likely come towards the tail end of Andy's career when, it is hoped, he has already claimed singles success at SW19.

"I think we have said we always wanted to play Wimbledon one year together," he said, "but I'm sure that won't happen for a few more years anyway, certainly while he's still at the top of the game."