Loving this match. I started watching during the third set yesterday and some of Murray's tennis was as good as I've seen. I can't believe he's doing it on clay.
If he can improve *that* much on clay and run the best player in the world so close, in a two-day, five-set match, and go on to show the same improvement on grass, I think he'll win Wimbledon.
With a home crowd, his best surface and a coach that's absolutely getting the best out of him Murray's going to take some beating at Wimbledon.
Today he was arguably one set away from winning the French Open, his weakest surface (although obviously beating Wawrinka in a GS final is never a given).
Very encouraging signs after a difficult couple of years.
Novak in that final set was unplayable. If he plays like that at Wimbledon then nobody else stands a chance (including Roger), but I think Andy and Roger will run him close
Andy Murray probably could have been the most decorated British sportsman of all time if it wasn't for that bloody Serb! Murray again showing what I've liked about him his whole career - he fights for it and he's always striving to improve. Does things his own way too, I'm pleased to see his coaching relationship with Mauresmo paying off after she was written off as a bad choice by some, in some cases basically because she's a woman.
Djokovic loses to Wawrinka in four sets in the final.
So Stan has one of each Australian & French, Murray has one of each Wimbledon & US. If they were one person, they'd have completed the career Grand Slam!
Djokovic loses to Wawrinka in four sets in the final.
So Stan has one of each Australian & French, Murray has one of each Wimbledon & US. If they were one person, they'd have completed the career Grand Slam!
Didn't expect that, but Stan is an underrated player.
Awesome Tennis from Stan the man today. In the 41 Slams since June 2005: Nadal has won 14 Federer 13 Djokovic 8 which leaves just 6 between Murray 2 Wawrinka 2 Del potro1 Cillic 1
In the 16 slams before June 2005 there were 10 different winners.
If Stan or Andy were in any other era, the trite answer seems to be they would both have won more slams but they should be proud to have won 2 slams each when 3 of the greatest players of all time just happened to be the same sort of age and continue to raise the bar.
With Andy and Novak 28, Rafa 29 Stan 30 and Roger 33 The younger players need to start showing the hunger to emulate the big 5 as it is now in the Slams. ( Novak is still the main man and will be favourite to retain his title at Wimbledon)
Stan played very well with some sublime shots but I do wonder whether five sets against Murray left a mental if not physical mark on Novak. He was 3-0 up in that 4th set and then just seemed to crumble.
Think the 5 sets and playing yesterday didn't help Novak, plus Clay is not his best surface as evidenced by the fact he still hasn't won the French open. Stan seems to be a big game player too - 2 finals 2 wins. He also has those big ground strokes that allow him finish some points off a bit quicker, I think that's where Murray struggles a bit vs Novak as they are basically the same player just Novak is that touch stronger. All the stars just aligned for Stan today but full credit to him for taking advantage.
Stan played very well with some sublime shots but I do wonder whether five sets against Murray left a mental if not physical mark on Novak. He was 3-0 up in that 4th set and then just seemed to crumble.
I thought Novak seemed a bit mentally fragile in the semi, the pressure of completing the full set of majors seemed to be playing on him.
Comments
(no, not drugs, but gamesmanship)
nice to see his dizzy passed so quickly.
Play resumes at midday BST.
If he can improve *that* much on clay and run the best player in the world so close, in a two-day, five-set match, and go on to show the same improvement on grass, I think he'll win Wimbledon.
With a home crowd, his best surface and a coach that's absolutely getting the best out of him Murray's going to take some beating at Wimbledon.
Today he was arguably one set away from winning the French Open, his weakest surface (although obviously beating Wawrinka in a GS final is never a given).
Very encouraging signs after a difficult couple of years.
So Stan has one of each Australian & French, Murray has one of each Wimbledon & US. If they were one person, they'd have completed the career Grand Slam!
In the 41 Slams since June 2005:
Nadal has won 14
Federer 13
Djokovic 8 which leaves just 6 between
Murray 2
Wawrinka 2
Del potro1
Cillic 1
In the 16 slams before June 2005 there were 10 different winners.
If Stan or Andy were in any other era, the trite answer seems to be they would both have won more slams but they should be proud to have won 2 slams each when 3 of the greatest players of all time just happened to be the same sort of age and continue to raise the bar.
With Andy and Novak 28, Rafa 29 Stan 30 and Roger 33
The younger players need to start showing the hunger to emulate the
big 5 as it is now in the Slams. ( Novak is still the main man and will be favourite to retain his title at Wimbledon)
"Children should play tennis all year round, not just over the Summer when it's on TV"
1 DJOKOVIC, Novak (SRB)
2 FEDERER, Roger (SUI)
3 MURRAY, Andy (GBR)
4 WAWRINKA, Stan (SUI)
5 NISHIKORI, Kei (JPN)
6 BERDYCH, Tomas (CZE)
7 RAONIC, Milos (CAN)
8 FERRER, David (ESP)
9 CILIC, Marin (CRO)
10 NADAL, Rafael (ESP)
11 DIMITROV, Grigor (BUL)
12 SIMON, Gilles (FRA)
13 TSONGA, Jo-Wilfried (FRA)
14 ANDERSON, Kevin (RSA)
15 LOPEZ, Feliciano (ESP)
16 GOFFIN, David (BEL)
17 ISNER, John (USA)
18 MONFILS, Gael (FRA)
19 ROBREDO, Tommy (ESP)
20 BAUTISTA AGUT, Roberto (ESP)
21 GASQUET, Richard (FRA)
22 TROICKI, Viktor (SRB)
23 KARLOVIC, Ivo (CRO)
24 MAYER, Leonardo (ARG)
25 SEPPI, Andreas (ITA)
26 KYRGIOS, Nick (AUS)
27 TOMIC, Bernard (AUS)
28 CUEVAS, Pablo (URU)
29 GARCIA-LOPEZ, Guillermo (ESP)
30 FOGNINI, Fabio (ITA)
31 SOCK, Jack (USA)
32 THIEM, Dominic (AUT)
Means in the worst case scenario, Murray could have to beat Nadal, Federer AND Djokovic to win Wimbledon this year.