Andy Murray and coach Amelie Mauresmo are very close to formalising a deal that will see them work together for 25 weeks a year.

That was the plan when they agreed to a trial period over the grass-court season, which ended with Murray losing to Grigor Dimitrov in the Wimbledon quarter-finals.

A day later they met in London and resolved to continue the partnership. As yet no contract has been signed but that will happen soon, committing former Wimbledon champion Mauresmo to accompanying Murray to most tournaments.

The Scot said "We're working together for 25 weeks a year."

Murray's decision to hire a female coach continues to attract attention, and his first-round opponent at the US Open admits he would not consider it.

The Scot opens his campaign on Monday against Dutch world No.70 Robin Haase, a player who has caused him trouble at Flushing Meadows before.

Haase said: "I think in the end that you need to understand how the game works and I think that women's tennis and men's tennis is such a different game that it's tough to understand."

Murray hired Mauresmo two-and-a-half months after splitting from Ivan Lendl, who was no longer prepared to commit the time Murray wanted to their highly-successful partnership. They remain on good terms and enjoyed a brief reunion at Flushing Meadows on Saturday.

Haase is the first hurdle of a fiendish-looking draw for the 27-year-old, and his results this year suggest he will struggle to go deep into the tournament.

Since the Dimitrov loss, Murray has been beaten in the quarter- finals in Toronto and Cincinnati by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Roger Federer respectively.

He had chances in both matches only for his unhappy recent habit of losing leads to strike.

But Murray has been fortified by a training block in Miami with Mauresmo and the rest of his team and looked confident and relaxed addressing the media at ­Flushing Meadows.

"I feel good," he said. "I have had a great practice week, had good fun on the court, enjoyed it, and worked hard. I've been playing well."

The 2012 champion, seeded only eighth this year, took time away from the practice court on Friday for a day watching sport.

He saw Rory McIlroy fight back to make the cut at The Barclays tournament in New Jersey before an evening at Madison Square Garden at a US versus Puerto Rico basketball match.

"I have never been to watch golf live before," said Murray. "So for a first experience, watching the best player in the world was a pretty good experience and I really enjoyed it.

"I guess it's like pretty much any sport. When you watch them up close, it's impressive … I love watching basketball. But to sit that close again and see those guys, they're huge guys, but just unbelievably quick, great athletes. It was a fun day for me."