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Tag Archive: Murray

  1. Wimbledon results weren’t everything. Meeting the Princess of Wales again meant so much. 

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    I was determined to enjoy every second of Wimbledon this year, going into the tournament I knew any draw was going to be incredibly tough. You have to make the most of each moment as a player and even though the playing side was over for me much more quickly than I would have liked, Wimbledon is my home Grand Slam and there is nothing quite like the All England Club. I’m not going to say grass is the easiest of surfaces for someone with my level of disability but I can still enjoy the matches I play, and enjoy the challenge of competing. A score line can be what it is, it doesn’t always tell the full story and a win or a loss doesn’t define you as a tennis player or as a person. 

    In the singles, I was drawn to play Kgothatso Montjane. KG is a strong player and she served incredibly well in our match. She varied her serve out wide, even on the deuce side, you could really see how much she has been working on that. It made it really tough to make any inroads on her service games. I felt that I served pretty well at times too. And made good choices throughout the match, so as much as I was disappointed with the result, I wasn’t disappointed with my performance. That can be hard to get your head around sometimes as we are all competitors but you have to work really hard on seeing progress in a process. 

    The Doubles draw was equally tough. Partnering with Colombian, Angelica Bernal again after a strong performance at Roland Garros we were eager to get a result. But the Chinese pairing of Zhenzhen Zhu and Xiaohui Li have been really strong this year. Zhu plays a really tricky game and Li can hit the ball so hard. We knew we both had games to make an impression on the pair though, Angelica hits a really good strong heavy ball which can push our opponents back, and then I have  the hands to hit some drop shots and angles and finish short balls. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be, and after a good patch in the first set where we clawed back three games, the Chinese were just too strong and didn’t allow us to play our game. Of course I was disappointed, but with other Brits still in action there was an opportunity to follow their campaigns and enjoy the Championships in all its glory. 

    This included being invited to welcome the Princess of Wales to the Championships on the final day, just before the men’s final between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic. These are always pinch me moments. The Princess looked very radiant and vibrant in her purple dress despite her recent health issues and she strikes me as such a strong person.

    It wasn’t the first time I had met her or other royalty. Earlier in the summer I had been to a Buckingham Palace Garden Party in relation to my British Empire Medal award.

    But I think Wimbledon was only her second public appearance since the cancer diagnosis, so I felt very honoured to be part of that and to also share a special moment with Princess Charlotte. 

    So, all attention now turns to the Paralympics in Paris at the end of August. I will get my head down again with my team, look at where small adjustments and improvements can be made and work hard on those so that I head into the Paralympics in the best possible position to maximise my place there. And of course, I’ll let you know how it all goes out there. 

  2. Will Andy Murray Coach Nick Kyrgios?

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    By Mark Ryan

    Andy Murray and Nick Kyrgios always have fun together.

    There was that hilarious video footage. The pair of them screaming and laughing on a roller-coaster in Cincinnati a few weeks back.

    Then there was the recent Murray post on Instagram. Amusingly he asked Kyrgios when he was going to announce umpire Mohamed Lahyani as his new coach.

    Witty

    That was Andy’s witty take on the controversial pep talk that his younger friend received from Lahyan. The poor umpire had become desperate after some blatant big-match tanking from Nick.

    But Kyrgios isn’t rushing to get a coach. The great John McEnroe hinted a few months back that he would like to do the job.

    The American legend suggested he would fit the bill because they were both “wacky. ”

    Attitude

    Kyrgios reacted dismissively.

    ‘He’s dreaming,’ Nick said, probably remembering all the times McEnroe has criticised his attitude.

    But what if Kyrgios does realise deep down that he needs a coach? Who would he choose if he could?

    Roller-coaster 

    Surely it would be Andy Murray.

    And what an amazing roller-coaster ride they would have on the ATP tour. Part of the same team. At last.

    That would make the thrills and spills of the Cincinnati big dipper look like a stroll in the park.

    Adrenalin

    The chemistry they have already. Then the adrenalin-fuelled challenge of taking Kyrgios to the next, Slam-winning level.

    The chance for Andy to turn Nick’s volatility into sheer, tennis-fizzing brilliance.

    Nick Kyrgios doesn’t need anyone as wacky as Nick Kyrgios. He doesn’t need McEnroe. He needs someone calmer than himself. Calm but funny.

    Explode

    He needs someone relatively young. Someone he gets on with like a house on fire. Who makes him smile when he is about to explode.

    Someone who helps him to enjoy this bizarre tennis life for what it is. Someone who will get the best out of him. Strengthen his mentality, sharpen his competitive edge, turn him into the very best of the new generation.

    We all know who that perfect someone would be for Nick Kyrgios. It would be someone called Andy Murray.

    Bromance

    Nick Kyrgios loves Andy Murray. It is the ultimate tennis bromance.

    A love so strong that Kyrgios could barely bring himself to beat his friend at Queen’s earlier this year. He genuinely found the whole match emotionally difficult.

    Kyrgios doesn’t want to be playing against one of his best friends. He wants to be with him. Same team.

    Fascinating

    They may even have discussed it. Then left the possibility on the back-burner.

    And for now that fascinating hook-up must remain there. Something for the future.

    Because Andy isn’t done as a player.

    Fight

    Murray is working very hard to get back to something like his best after a year out with hip trouble.

    The fight goes on. And that battle could last another year or two.

    Maybe Andy will make it back to his glorious former level. Nick Kyrgios will be willing his friend to succeed.

    Chronic

    And it would be madness to write Andy off. The tennis world wrote Nadal off. We were wrong. The tennis world wrote Federer and Djokovic off. We were wrong again.

    So let’s not write Murray off just yet.

    He is a very determined character. His physical problems seem to have been even more chronic than those experienced by the Big Three. But Murray has what it takes to overcome all adversity.

    Great

    It is not impossible that he could win another Grand Slam before time catches up with him.

    But what if Andy breaks down physically again? What if, at the age of 31 and counting, he gets fed up with losing to the Fernando Verdascos of this world?

    When Murray hits 33, Kyrgios will still only be 25. It would be a great time for them to get together as player and coach.

    Family

    There are other obstacles to overcome before Murray would agree to coach Kyrgios. What about Andy’s family life? What about his precious time with Kim and the kids?

    Well, he has seen how Roger Federer makes it all work on tour with his own family. They seem happy enough.

    With the support of his family, why shouldn’t Andy take a similar path, at least for a while, to see how it works out?

    Dynamic

    Then there is a natural fear that both men would have. What if the coach-player dynamic broke down and completely ruined their friendship?

    Well, Murray’s friendship with his own “left-field” coaching choice, Amelie Mauresmo, survived something less than professional success together.

    Andy and Nick would just have to be big boys. Make sure the bromance wasn’t destroyed by work. If it wasn’t working, they’d know when to call it quits.

    Spectacular

    But the lingering suspicion is that it would work. Andy is nurturing younger talent in a variety of sporting fields. It’s his thing already.

    The chance to nurture and bring to full fruition the greatest young talent in tennis – who just happens to be one of his biggest buddies too – would surely be too tempting to turn down.

    So come on guys. With the new generation struggling to take over from the old generation, something spectacular needs to happen.

    Partnership

    A partnership between Kyrgios and Murray would be great for the game. And spectacular in the extreme.

    Maybe it is only a matter of time.

  3. Australian Open Day 10: Murray To Face Raonic

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    Andy Murray’s on-court tantrums don’t always work in his favour – often quite the reverse. But it was a different story during his gutsy victory over David Ferrer in their Australian Open quarter-final, 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 6-3.

    If ever there was a sportsman who needed to release some tension and frustration, it was the British number one. His personal circumstances have been exceptional of late.

    COMPLEX

    A good moan against the imperfections of the world were precisely what the doctor ordered for this complex character. And now Murray must try to focus on Milos Raonic and their big semi-final.

    Of course, Murray tantrums haven’t always been worth their while – and for some time he toned them down. Under Ivan Lendl, the British number one would rarely go into meltdown mode, because he knew how deeply unimpressed his granite-faced coach would be.

    Superior self-control led to extraordinary success. US Open triumph, Olympic glory and then the biggest tennis prize of all – Wimbledon.

    Yet when Murray and Lendl split, the volatile Scot seemed to feel he could behave almost as he wanted on court. He was running his own show, after all. And, despite her own inner calm, little appeared to change when Amelie Mauresmo took over the coaching role.

    THRIVED

    Last year’s Davis Cup brought a different dynamic. Murray wasn’t up against the best of the best as he led Great Britain to glory – and he was rarely threatened with defeat in the singles rubbers. He thrived on the extra responsibility and his behaviour hardly ever let him down.

    At the Slams, however, Murray has received plenty of criticism for his histrionics over the years, not least because they seem so counter-productive.

    Not so against Ferrer, after a tough few days by anyone’s standards. Murray’s father-in-law, Nigel Sears, collapsed at the Australian Open and was rushed to hospital. Andy only found out when he finished his own match – and wouldn’t have continued at the tournament had Sears remained seriously ill.

    Murray must also have been deeply concerned about the impact Nigel’s collapse might have had on his heavily-pregnant wife Kim, Sears’ daughter.

    And if the baby were to arrive early, Murray still appears determined to cut short his increasingly promising Australian Open campaign and return to Britain.

    It won’t have escaped Murray’s notice that his arch-rival Novak Djokovic hasn’t quite been firing on all cylinders so far in Melbourne and looks more beatable than usual. Could outside factors still deny Andy the opportunity to take Novak down, just when the Serb might be there for the taking at last, should he get past the evergreen Roger Federer?

    Murray’s mind must still be in a whirl. His life is so complicated right now. So many uncontrollables. So much tension.

    So when Murray lost his temper against Ferrer, his reactions weren’t just forgivable – the release was almost a necessary part of his psychological and emotional survival at the tournament.

    SWEAR

    He appeared to yell at a photographer for being too visible, swear loudly at himself for losing the second set when he had worked so hard to remain in contention, and show open disgust at the decision to close the roof when he was 3-1 ahead in the third – even though he admitted later that the indoor conditions helped him to return better.

    None of these reactions could have been too pleasant to be around at the time, and there is no attempt here to condone that kind of behaviour in general.

    But if Andy Murray ever has any right to scream at the world in sheer frustration, it is probably now. And if a tantrum is ever to do him any good, it is also now.

    That release of tension should now clear the way for a fascinating semi-final against Milos Raonic – as long as Kim doesn’t go into labour, of course.

    Raonic, a 33-1 shot at the start of the tournament, defeated Gael Monfils, the great entertainer, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

    Playing better than ever since teaming up with new coach Carlos Moya, Raonic will provide formidable resistance to Murray’s dream of reaching another Melbourne final.

    And yet Murray will start favourite, due to his renowned skill at taking down big servers. It will be fascinating to watch the drama unfold.

    How cool is Johanna Konta? And not just for reaching her own Australian Open semi-final! When journalists were still trying to make an issue of her nationality and stir up a tug-o’-war between Britain and Australia, Konta cleverly diffused the tension while giving the media a soundbite they simply couldn’t resist.

    After her brilliant 6-4, 6-1 victory over Zhang Shuai, the 24-year-old Konta said: ‘Actually I’m a tri-citizen. I’ve got a Hungarian passport as well. Just add that into the mix, guys. I mean, I’m pretty much the female version of Jason Bourne.’

    She’ll need some of Bourne’s incredible powers if she is to negotiate her semi-final against German sensation Angelique Kerber, who pulled off a shock first win against Victoria Azarenka, 6-3, 7-5.

    Azarenka had been in such impressive form that she was widely tipped to give Serena Williams a run for her money in Melbourne. Instead the Belarusian found herself 0-4 down in the first set and then couldn’t hold her second-set lead against Kerber’s victorious comeback.

    Kerber’s explosive consistency must make her favourite against Konta – but don’t rule out the battling Brit just yet.

    Do you think Murray can win the Australian Open? Are you enjoying the Grand Slam as much as we are? Let us know your thoughts over on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

    Don’t forget, you can watch Murray in all his glory yourself this June by getting your hands on 2016 Wimbledon Tickets here!

  4. Wimbledon 2014 Seedings

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    The seedings for Wimbledon 2014 have been released! It’s good news for Murray and Federer but bad news for Maria Sharapova.

    The Men’s Seedings

    Andy Murray has been seeded third for this year’s Wimbledon – with Roger Federer fourth seed.  That will help the defending and former champions in their quest for fresh glory at the All England Club.
    Novak Djokovic is number one seed, with Rafa Nadal number two – which doesn’t reflect the French Open pecking order but is perfectly understandable given their recent records at Wimbledon.
    The big favour has been done to Murray and Federer, who are world-ranked lower than their Wimbledon seedings and could in theory have faced a much tougher route to the final.  Now they will at least be able to avoid Nadal and Djokovic until the semi-final stage, should they progress that far.
    Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka is fifth seed, Tomas Berdych sixth, David Ferrer seventh and Canada’s Milos Raonic eighth.

    And the ladies…

    In the women’s draw, Serena Williams retains her number one status despite her indifferent form of late. Li Na is second seed, and French Open finalist Simona Halep third. Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland is fourth seed, yet French Open and former Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova is only fifth seed. This means she may have to beat three of the very best to take the title.
    Petra Kvitova is sixth seed, Jelena Jankovic seventh and Victoria Azarenka eighth.

  5. Nadal Storms Through To Face Mysterious Murray

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    Rafa Nadal produced a storming comeback to brush aside David Ferrer in the all-Spanish quarter-final at Roland Garros.

    He took out Ferrer 4-6, 6-4, 6-0, 6-1 and the King of Clay clearly won’t give up his title easily.

    Meanwhile Andy Murray looked to be cruising through to a semi-final clash with Nadal until he took his foot off the gas at two sets ahead, having opened up 6-4, 6-1.  That was all the invitation Gael Monfils needed to storm back 6-4, 6-1 as Wednesday’s sun went down in Paris.  But incredibly Murray woke up to wipe out the Comeback Kid 6-0 in the decider, at least conserving some precious energy for the big test against Rafa.

    It was a mystery how Murray crumbled quite so markedly when he looked to have the match sown up.  He wanted to come off for the night even before the fifth set started.

    But the Scot was relieved to get an early break in the final set, just when the home favourite had threatened to dump him out of the tournament completely.

    By the time it was all over, Murray admitted: ‘It’s very tough to play Gael, we’ve known each other a long time.  It was windy at the start, he played much better when the wind calmed down.’

    ‘I was just lucky that he started the fifth set badly.’

    ‘Rafa has good memories on this court, I’ll need to recover very well but it’s going to be very, very tough.’

    There was no five-set exhaustion for Nadal, who looked back to his best after starting slowly.  He crushed an increasingly timid Ferrer to send out a warning to the likes of Murray and Novak Djokovic.  The king of clay is here to stay?

  6. Marathon Man Murray Holds His Nerve in Paris

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    Murray Wins in Paris!

    After four hours and seven minutes, Andy Murray pinged a sizzling backhand deep past Philipp Kohlschreiber and crouched down on the clay to let out a triumphant yell.  He had finally sealed a precious win by 12-10 in the fifth. The match had lasted almost as long as the Brit had been able to sleep overnight.

    Murray managed a smile after reaching the last sixteen, though. He could afford to grin, having overcome his nerves in unfamiliar territory.

    Andy admitted; ‘Last night was extremely tough, I was up a break in every set but we went in 7-7.  Both of us came out pretty nervous but it was outstanding.  I didn’t sleep much. I was ready to play at four or five in the morning (Sunday). I only slept five hours.  It was a new experience for me, having a match stopped overnight in such a big tournament.  But I was cramping in my hamstring and quad so maybe it is just as well that they stopped it.’

    The marathon had straddled two days and Murray must work on his first serve as a matter of priority.

    It doesn’t matter what surface you’re playing on, you won’t dominate a top player by trying to survive on your second serve alone.  Andy’s new coach, whoever he or she may be, will have to address that growing problem  as swiftly as possible between the French Open and Wimbledon.

    Kohlschreiber, world number 28,  took the first set 6-3. Murray seized the next two by the same score, then the German hit back to win the fourth 6-4.  Play had been suspended on Saturday night at a tantalising 7-7 in the fifth.  Murray squandered a match point at 9-8 and almost habitually wasted that wayward first serve. Some hit the net, others flew so deep that they almost bounced out of court.

    But the Wimbledon champion came up with two extraordinary shots to keep his hopes alive.  A drive-volley from near the baseline was as courageous as it was brillant. Even better was a wrap-around cross-court forehand which seemed  impossible and left Kohlschreiber shaking his head in disbelief.

    The underdog was hitting the ball more cleanly for much of Sunday, yet Murray managed to hang in there for long enough to make his opponent crumble at the final hurdle.

    Murray faces Fernando Verdasco in the next round. He will have to raise his game considerably in order to prevail. But a decent run at Roland Garros will at least boost his confidence in time for Wimbledon.

    Meanwhile in the women’s tournament,

    Eugenie Bouchard produced a scintillating display to announce herself as a genuine contender for French Open glory.

    The 20-year-old Canadian destroyed the higher-seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany 6-1, 6-2 with a wonderful combination of confidence and technique.

    Maria Sharapova, the biggest name left in the draw, will take note going into the second week.

    Want to see more dramatic marathons and crazy upsets at Wimbledon later this month, all from the best seats in the house?  Just click on the following link and enter the magic world of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, with tickets for Wimbledon’s best facilities guaranteed by our super service….

    Mark Ryan

  7. Murray Tames the “Mad Dog”

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    Andy Murray made quick work of taming Marinko “Mad Dog” Matosevic at Roland Garros this afternoon.

    Despite clutching what appeared to be a tight hamstring at times. Murray maintained his free-flowing superiority to finish off the erratic Australian in simple, straight sets.
    Now the improving Andy will face Philipp Kohlschreiber in the third round of the French Open on Saturday. The German beat Murray on clay four years ago in Monaco. But the Scot has come up a few levels since then.  The Wimbledon champion will feel confident of progressing further still. Though he knows the number 28 will provide a more searching test.

    Matosevic, famous for his theatrical on-court fireworks and multiple body-rolls, seemed to lose heart the more Murray seized control.  The match simply wasn’t close enough to provoke any histrionics from “Mad Dog” the underdog.  Although the Brit’s first serve was wayward in the opening set. That deficiency didn’t seem to matter as he took it 6-3.  Murray’s accuracy improved in the second set. He went on all-out attack and made just five unforced errors on the way to a 6-1 romp.  The final set was never in any doubt, even after Andy was broken when he was serving for the match at 5-2.  A spectacular break-back clinched it at 6-3, though the victory hardly sent out a chilling warning to the likes of Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

    So far there seems to be more drama surrounding Murray’s choice of coach than his matches.

    Suggestions that Amelie Mauresmo might be Murray’s shock coaching choice have been laughed out of court by experts such as the former British favourite, Greg Rusedski.  An even more illustrious female tennis legend, Martina Navratilova admitted she would be interested in the role if asked, while Murray himself has joked that ‘no one wants to coach me.’

    The true successor to Ivan Lendl will be revealed after Roland Garros, where Andy has been able to preserve plenty of energy for the latter stages.  

    However, with no pressure on Murray’s shoulders in France, he might just gain some much-needed confidence going into Wimbledon.  He is gaining some momentum – and not before time.

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  8. Li Na And Wawrinka In Historic Exit But Murray Survives

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    Li Na and Stan Wawrinka combined to create the wrong kind of history at Roland Garros yesterday.

    The only bonus is that both fallen stars will now be super-fresh for Wimbledon. Never before have both Aussie Open Champions been dumped out of the French Open in the very first round. In fact newly-crowned Grand Slam champions have never been knocked out at the opening stage of the next major anywhere.

    If some had predicted that Wawrinka might struggle against Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, few foresaw Li Na’s early exit at the hands of French player Kristina Mladenovic, ranked 103 in the world. Li Na, the Roland Garros champion of 2011 never managed to capture her best form in what proved to be her first and last test in this year’s tournament, despite taking the middle set 6-3. Powerful Mladenovic won the opener 7-5 and finished the job with a crushing 6-1 clincher. Li Na struggled with her serve and her coach Carlos Rodriguez shook his head in frustration at her general lack of accuracy.

    He might have been angered even further when he heard her post-match confession that she had lost concentration.

    ‘The problem is myself,’ she admitted.  ‘I don’t think I’m doing well on court. And also, even during the match, I don’t think totally about what I should do, like especially I didn’t follow the game plan…In my mind, I didn’t have any idea how to play the match.’

    The popular Chinese star knew she had disappointed her millions of fans with such an off-key display. Provoking her coach after her failure was like rubbing salt in her wounds. Now those hoping to see the best of Li Na in Europe this summer will have to book their seats for Wimbledon instead.

    As for Wawrinka, the extra pressure brought on by success in Australia didn’t sit any more comfortably. He took the second set 7-5 to level after Garcia-Lopez had won the first 6-4. Yet the Swiss player’s timing was out by a distance as he faded 2-6, 0-6 to bow out in considerable embarrassment.

    ‘It’s a different story, a different picture for my career, I have to put the puzzle back together,’ said a flummoxed Wawrinka.

    At least Murray negotiated his first match, after a troubled third set made the clash unexpectedly tough and exciting. The Wimbledon champion has shown only rare flashes of form since taking his home Slam title last year. But he took out Golubev eventually, winning 6-1, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. Even so, it seems that the appointment of Murray’s new coach can’t come soon enough.

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  9. Italy Prevails in the Davis Cup against Great Britain

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    Was Italy’s comeback one which should have been allowed to happen?

    GB led 2-1 against Italy going into the final day in Naples. It looked as though they had already done the hardest part in their bid for a first semi-final spot in 33 years. Then the wheels fell off.  Andy Murray lost to Fabio Fognini, who had been troubled by James Ward on the opening day. Then Ward was brushed aside by Andreas Seppi, who sent the Italians through.

    Should Dan Evans have played instead of James Ward?

    Some will point the finger at GB captain Leon Smith and argue that Dan Evans – ranked 28 places above Ward – should have played.  Tough call, and the feisty Evans might well have been just what the doctor ordered in Italy – even if he does generally do better on hard courts.
    But what was Smith supposed to do? Ward had performed heroics by beating Sam Querrey to help see off the USA in San Diego. Evans hadn’t looked keen enough back then to do the job. He seemed too jaded to get sufficient matches under his belt in preparation.
    Could Smith really have dumped Ward for the Naples tie, in favour of a revitalised Evans, simply because the boy from Birmingham was making all the right noises again? It would have been ruthless. 

    Psychologically Andy Murray Still Isn’t Right

    Sometimes in sport ruthlessness is fine. Other times you need to look at overall attitudes and see whether you can help young players to learn the right lessons, to improve the consistency of their appetite in the long run.
    Besides, talking of appetite, GB would still have gone through if only Murray had brought his best game to the key encounter against Fognini. Andy admitted he had his chances. Psychologically he still isn’t right. No doubt fatigue played a part, but for some reason he also lacked sufficient stomach for the fight.
    That just isn’t like Andy, who normally relishes any team setting for his talents and thrives in the environment.
    At least nothing more is expected of him on clay, which means the pressure is off from now until the summer. He has a chance to sort his head out at last.

    Elsewhere…

    Meanwhile the wider Davis Cup picture is overwhelmingly positive. Three of the weekend’s quarter-finals were decided in fifth rubbers for the first time in World Group history.
    France pulled off the first comeback from 0-2 down in a World Group tie for 16 years against Germany in Nancy. Congratulations to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gael Monfils.
    Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka avoided a huge upset by coming from 1-2 down against Kazakhstan.
    Only in Tokyo was the tie not left on a knife-edge until the climax. The Czech Republic whitewashed Japan 5-0 and they’ll be hard to stop again this time around, even though they have to travel to France for their semi-final from September 12-14.
    The Italians will be up against it when they travel to Switzerland. That really should have been GB – but take nothing away from the spirited Italians or their impressive victory.