ANDY MURRAY feels that having Amélie Mauresmo in his corner at the French Open for the first time is already paying dividends - because the Frenchwoman knows all the best restaurants.

Mauresmo, who was recruited by Murray shortly before last year's Wimbledon, was brought up in the Parisien suburb of Saint Germain-en-Laye and, while she never got beyond the quarter-finals in her home slam, the 28-year-old feels he is benefiting from a little local knowledge.

The 35-year-old, who will be unavailable for duties on the tour shortly as she prepares to have her first child, is joined on Murray's backroom staff by Swedish former doubles expert Jonas Bjorkman.

"Aside from the tennis, she's helped with a few good restaurant choices near the hotel, which has been good," said the Scot.

"But that's one of the benefits of working with a player that's played and done well in the slams - they are aware of the pressures and stuff that come with trying to win an event like this.

"Amélie obviously put a lot of pressure on herself there, which probably wasn't beneficial for her performances, but she can obviously give me advice and input based on her experiences of playing in these tournaments. It's good to have experienced ex-players around, I think, at these times of year."

Murray has landed a tough-looking draw as he aims to capture the Roland Garros title for the first time in his career.

Speaking before his first-round opponent, Argentinian qualifier Facundo Arguello, was known, he is in the same half of the draw as both World No.1 Novak Djokovic and Rafa Nadal, the two favourites for the crown.

To play the winner of that eagerly- awaited potential quarter-final, he may have to face fast-rising Aussie wonderkid Nick Kyrgios in the third round, big-serving John Isner in the fourth, then either US Open champion Marin Cilic or David Ferrer to get there.

While Nadal enters the competition as just sixth seed at a venue where he has won nine of the last 10 tournaments, Murray said it would be foolish to write off the man who has lorded it over everyone else for the last decade.

"I think it changes things," said Murray. "I think Novak for me goes into a tournament as the favourite now, but on that court Rafa's record is ridiculous.

"It's completely possible that he gets out there and feels great, especially if he gets himself into the tournament and wins his first few matches. I mean, he's going to feel better and better.

"It would be stupid to write him off or suggest that he can't win the event or won't win the event. It is definitely possible he could do that."

Murray, though, is feeling more comfortable than ever before on this surface, having won his last 10 matches on clay, enough to take him to back-to-back title wins in Munich and Madrid.

He plans to wear his black under-armour kit throughout the tournament, although he has a white alternate if the weather really heats up.

"I have a white option as well if it is very hot," said Murray. "But the material is like mesh material, so it's extremely light and is very airy. So I'm hoping that the black doesn't get too hot."

There are rarely any shades of grey around when it comes to the Scot.