THE ambition is quietly, firmly articulated.

The Scot declares his focus is to qualify for the tour finals in London at the end of the year, but go for a medal at the Olympics and target a grand slam victory in the meantime. The sober delivery merely adds to the power of the words. Colin Fleming is the economics graduate who means business.

His statements have been supported by impressive action. With his playing partner Ross Hutchins, the 28-year-old Stirling University alumni reached the last 16 of this year's Australian Open and the last eight of last season's grand slams in New York and at Wimbledon.

He has just returned from six weeks in the USA where a title win in Delray Beach in Florida was complemented by a semi-final in Memphis and a total of $50,000 to add to the tally in an effort to enter the top eight in the world and qualify for the tour finals at the 02 in London in November.

''At the moment we are about 11th,'' he says. ''We are in the mix. There a lot of big tournaments to come and it is all to play for.''

With Roland Garros, Wimbledon and Flushing Meadows on his agenda, Fleming adds: ''Ross and me have talked of our career goal of winning a grand slam. We are proud of the fact we have done well in the last three slams. You have to do it at the big tournaments. The opportunities are there. It is up to us to make it a reality.''

There is also the matter of the Olympics, to be held at Wimbledon. Hutchins and Fleming are almost certain to qualify as one of the two British teams, with Andy and Jamie Murray forming the other. ''We know we can go deeper in the bigger tournaments. We believe we can just not qualify for the Olympics but do something. Who knows, maybe go and get a medal.''

This attitude would have once been seen as distinctly unCaledonian. But Fleming is not indulging in posturing. He is a modest, intelligent and diligent young man who was headhunted by a utilities company after he finished his degree. He is simply stating what he believes is now demanded of him as a top sportsman.

"Every doubles team that was playing in Indian Wells or Miami would have the belief that they could go and win a slam,'' he says of his opponents in recent weeks. ''I don't feel uncomfortable about being open about what I am aiming for. We have goals and we feel they are achievable. They are demanding goals and we know we have to work every day to achieve them. But that is what we are doing.''

At Wimbledon, Hutchins and Fleming lost in the fifth set of their last-eight match. Devastating on the day, this experience now serves as an inspiration.

''We were so close then to making a semi-final. When you get into those sort of situations, it gives you a belief you can go all the way. We work hard. We practise hard. We keep our game moving forward. So why can we not achieve it?''

He adds of any tournament, whether it is the Olympics or a grand slam: ''If we play to our best level, we must be one of the names in the hat to win it.''

Top-class tennis pivots around moments. A double fault, a missed volley or a wrong decision can swing the momentum and ultimately dictate who progresses.

''We can match teams,'' says Fleming. He recalls another moment when bitter defeat may be the forerunner of sweet success. Hutchins and Fleming played Mike and Bob Bryan, the best pair in the world, at the Australian Open. Fleming recalls taking the second set 6-0, but notes: ''The Bryans won the match. That was the reality. The big question is how did they do that after losing a set so heavily. How do they cope with the big moments? Is it their experience that gives them the belief they can pull it out? That is what we have to discover.''

Fleming's focus is the product of an inherent competitiveness. This is what makes him relish the prospect of the Davis Cup tie against Belgium at Braehead Arena later this week.

'I love competing. I love trying to figure things out on court, trying to gain an advantage, trying to win ultimately. The Davis Cup is one of the pinnacles of the sport. It is all about dealing with pressure. Davis Cup is not about the favourites winning. It is about the unexpected result. We proved that against Slovakia and this what we will try to do against Belgium.''

Team GB prevailed against the Slovaks without Andy Murray and will have to go into battle again without the world No.4. Fleming admits his friend will be missed on and off the court. Murray would almost certainly guarantee the team two points but Fleming adds: ''It is great having him around from the perspective of how he prepares for matches and how he goes about his training. He has not go to the very top by accident. He works tremendously hard in training and is very disciplined outside training. When you are around people like that in your own sport, you learn.''

Fleming and Hutchins lost to the Murray brothers in Indian Wells but there was a quiet celebration about the occasion. ''It was strange,'' says Fleming, ''and I was disappointed to be beaten, but I also remembered playing against these guys when I was seven or eight at Dunblane Tennis Club. It was amazing to think we were all on the professional circuit in a top tournament in California.''

This sense of unreality is also provoked by the upsurge in Fleming's career. He came back to professional tennis after three years out, completing his degree. He pays generous tribute to those who have helped put him on the road to the top, most notably Louis Cayer, his coach. But what has he learned about himself since his return to top-class tennis?

''For me, the biggest lesson is that if you commit to something and work anything is possible. I would never have thought as a teenager that I would be doing what I am doing now. I almost surprise myself sometimes.''

And he is more than ready to unnerve others.