At the BBC Sports Personality show in 2004, a little-known 17 year old strode up to Sir Clive Woodward, introduced himself as "tennis player Andrew Murray", and listened for at least 10 minutes about how to get to the top in sport.

He was acquainted with the talent - the skinny Scot had just won the US Open junior title and a series of senior clay court events - but it was the incredible self-confidence which struck the Rugby World Cup-winning coach.

Here was a young man with an unswerving belief in his own ability, yet a willingness to learn. It's no surprise to Sir Clive that four years later Murray is a world-class talent.

Also no shock was the way Murray finished his year here at The Masters Cup in Shanghai.

Some players may have conserved energy by surrendering to defeat in their final group match, to Roger Federer, safe in the knowledge they had already qualified for the semis.

That was never an option for Andy Murray. He considers Federer the best player of all time and he wanted to beat him. End of story.

It took three hours, which was an inconvenience, but he got the win he craved. He gave everything and it drained everything, but his positive approach reaffirmed the fact that here we have a natural-born winner.

Let's face it - he could have jacked it in against Federer and still lost the semi-final.

It's been a wonderful 11-month world tour for Murray from Doha to Shanghai, with his first two Masters Series titles, a first Grand Slam final at the US Open, qualification for a first Masters Cup and a peak at number four in the world.

Read about Andy Murray's magical 2008

Most significantly, he's sufficiently scared his main rivals at the top of the game to suggest he's going to be a major force at the majors in 2009. Since July he's beaten Federer three times, Novak Djokovic twice and Rafael Nadal once.

Technically and tactically, Murray is a much better player than even six months ago.

His first serve has improved gradually throughout the year and the development of a wickedly slicing delivery, particularly to the deuce court, is now winning him plenty of cheap points.

It sets him up for a potent one-two; the slice serve out wide followed by an angle-changing backhand drive into the other corner.

It's something he's learnt from watching Federer gain so many cheap points with his serve/forehand combination.

His backhand slice has improved, now even more consistent, he's standing closer to the baseline, more aggressive with his groundstrokes, and his transition game has developed impressively.

He appears more prepared for where he needs to be at the net in relation to the approach shot and his opponent's position.

Moving into 2009, the second serve still needs more bite but it's hard to spot other areas which need glaring improvement.

He wants to get stronger physically and put on more muscle weight and a winter of strength and fitness work in the Florida heat should see to that.

Away from the tennis, it's a completely different Andy Murray we watch and admire at the end of 2008.

He waves, he smiles, he doesn't pick fights, he doesn't hide behind his cap - all this peripheral stuff has really helped smooth the ground to build his game upon.

In this column back in May I said that it was no coincidence that a bad attitude was corresponding with bad results.

The opposite now is true.

Credit must go to his team of Miles Maclagan, Andy Ireland, Matt Little and Jez Green. They were hired to create a positive team spirit as much as for their individual expertise in areas of coaching, physiotherapy and fitness.

As Sir Clive Woodward told him during that conversation in 2004, "leave no stone unturned with regard to your preparation".

Assisted by his team, Murray will go into 2009 in the best possible shape to challenge at all of the major championships and will undoubtedly start the Australian Open in January as one of the title favourites.

And the most exciting thing of all? A ten-year-plus career has only just begun.