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Under Pressure: Andy Murray
He was 20 years old, basically in the same age group as the aforementioned Tsonga, #2 Rafael Nadal and #3 Novak Djokovic. These players all had success on the ATP tour at their young ages, so was the potential ever going to be reached by Great Britain’s finest? By potential, I mean expectations. By expectations, I mean having the weight of any tennis fan with a link to the United Kingdom expecting you to break the now 73 year drought for the four countries in the unity state who invented the game. No one from the UK has won any of the four Grand Slams since 1936; a lifetime for most fans. The guy who he is inevitably chasing is Fred Perry. Ironically, he is also the namesake of the brand of clothing Murray wears. Much like when Derek Jeter was tabbed with #2 for the Yankees (when just about every other single digit Yankee number is retired), the British expect big things from Murray. It wasn’t a magical switch that turned Murray into just another top 20 player to a Grand Slam contender. He made a commitment, around this time last year after packing his bags, that it was time to put up or shut up. Once known as someone who would rather play Playstation than practice ground strokes, he hit the practice courts and the weight room. By Wimbledon, he was flashing his biceps against Gasquet in a classic 5-setter. He also knew that preparation was a big part of success as well. He breaks down his opponents on film, and some murmurs around tennis believe he the best game plans against all the top players. Executing them will be difficult, but that extra mile he’s going should pay off dividends. So, with Murray playing so well, up to #4 in the world, what could possibly be stopping him? Well, the Big 3 for starters. Nadal, Roger Federer and Djokovic have had a lock on the Grand Slams for a few years now, making some wonder when anyone will be able to break through. Murray has done it in best of 3 matchups, but best of 5 is a different animal. Djokovic broke into that group last year, so can Murray make it a Fab Four? Coming from a middle class family in Great Britain, where he went through the Dunblane Massacre as child, he has the chance to open even more doors than his predecessors. Tennis is still viewed by many in his homeland as an elitist sport, perhaps a reason why the UK has fallen behind other countries in producing talent. As of right now, Europeans countries of similar size have tens of thousands more kids playing the sport than the UK. Murray has gone so far as to call out his countrymen to work harder at the game to get to the highest level. Perhaps Murray’s play will help inspire the next generation of players. Putting this all together, you have Andy Murray, future Grand Slam Champion. When will he be a champion? I think as soon as the end of this fortnight. Two years at the most. His game is too solid to not make a breakthrough. Besides Roland Garros, all the majors are there for his taking. The old Murray, I would doubt. The new Murray? Well, let’s just say he has a bloody good chance. Breaking the barrier though doesn’t just stop at the three ahead of him in the rankings, it also has to do with the ghost of Fred Perry. A win for Murray could mean a win for the United Kingdom, which in the end would be an overall win for the game of tennis. Expanding the game is what it’s all about, but this time, rekindling interest on the lawns would give millions a reason to be exciting about tennis again. Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com Koufaxspahn originally published this article at RootZoo.com, home of the sports fan. Besides tennis, he loves baseball. Keep an eye out for his 2009 MLB predictions and 2009 fantasy baseball projections. |
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