THE mountain has been conquered but other peaks lie in full view.

Now that Andy Murray has ended the 77-year-old Wimbledon drought which followed the success of Fred Perry, the 26-year-old now faces another question: how close can he come to the Englishman's record of eight majors?

His sensational victory on Centre Court on Sunday means the tally now stands at two but the Scot told yesterday of how his appetite for the big prizes is far from sated. "My goal is to try and win more grand slams," said the world No.2, who has enjoyed 12 months that have included a US Open victory, an Olympic gold medal and now a Wimbledon title.

"I would rather win one more and not get to No.1. The top ranking would be a great thing to do but if I was picking it would be another slam and hopefully I can defend my US Open title next month."

Motivation should not be a problem. "I don't know exactly how I am going to respond when I get back on the practice court, but the people around you can help a lot with that as well. I know in Ivan [Lendl]'s head that he is not content with how the last 18 months have gone," he said.

Lendl, his coach, was never one to take a step back and Murray's history has been all about taking those small steps forward. "I hope I don't lose hunger. I should be able to use this as motivation. I know what it's like to lose in a Wimbledon final and what it is like winning one. It's a lot better winning, so the hard work is worth it," he said.

"I've just got to make sure I don't get sidetracked by anything and that after the next few days enjoy and celebrate; go away, rest up and get ready for the US Open. I've never had to defend a grand slam before. That'll be a new experience for me."

He now intends to go on holiday while the tennis world contemplates a future that now looks considerably brighter for the Scot. So how does it all look for the 26-year-old and who will be his main competitors be in the grand slams?

The developing storyline in world tennis is the Murray-Djokovic rivalry. The Serb is a week younger and is also at the peak of his powers. Murray will never countenance the term "bragging rights" but he has beaten the world No.1 at the Olympics in London and in two of the three grand slam finals they have contested since Murray bowed to accept the gold medal.

It is significant that the Scot has now won 18 matches on grass, and five consecutive sets against his greatest rival at Wimbledon. This suggests his sensational victory of the weekend can be repeated. He has also shown he can win at Flushing Meadows and is a serial finalist at the Australian Open.

Djokovic, of course, heads the list of his rivals but there are doubts about other contenders. Rafael Nadal's fitness is a major issue and his ability to compete on grass, where he must bend his knees continually, must be compromised. The hard courts, too, will test his fitness and the Spaniard may have to restrict his pre-eminence in the game by remaining the King of Clay.

Roger Federer is being chased by time and there is evidence that it is catching up on him. He finds continual trouble against big-hitters with his eye being a fraction of a second out, causing crude sclaffs at times from the most sublime striker of a ball.

The evidence of Wimbledon, though, is that Juan Martin del Potro is capable of reprising his US Open victory in 2009. The Argentine will be 25 in September and seems to have banished the injuries that slowed his progress over the past few years. A heavy hitter who has improved his movement, Del Potro pushed Djokovic very hard in the semi-finals at Wimbledon and can become a force on any surface.

Another impressive contender is the 22-year-old Jerzy Janowicz. The Pole is more than a big server, though his 140mph serves will take him a long way. His movement around the court is decent and he is technically competent with an excellent, disguised drop shot. This is a potent weapon because those receiving his serve stand so far back they are not in the same post code. A blocked return is met with a Janowicz dink and his poor opponent has to sprint in vain.

There will be others who can cause Murray occasional anxiety. Milos Raonic of Canada can be unplayable with his serve on hard court, but he has strangely not taken to grass. Grigor Dimitrov, the Bulgarian 22-year-old, has extraordinary talent but it has to be seen whether he can find the mental resolve and the physical resilience to win seven matches in a fortnight to lift a grand slam.

The most intriguing case is that of Bernard Tomic, the 20-year-old Australian, who has all the talent but also has much to overcome, not least a father facing a court case for assault, before he can make a significant move at the top.

The conclusion must be that Murray's Wimbledon victory offers the possibility of further grand slams. But no one has to tell the Scot how hard they are to win. His focus will not be on Perry's talent but the defence of his crown in New York.