Wimbledon - Murray turns thoughts to SW19

Eurosport - Tue, 16 Jun 00:11:00 2009

Andy Murray was looking ahead to Wimbledon after becoming the first British champion at Queen's Club for 71 years when he beat American James Blake 7-5 6-4 in the final.

TENNIS 2009 ATP Queen's Andy Murray - 0

With just over a week to go before Wimbledon begins on June 22, the victory will provide the world number three with a much-needed boost as he aims to end the stranglehold of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal at the All England Club.

"I was quite nervous today because people kept telling me no one (British) had won here for 70-odd years so that got the nerves going, especially when I served for the match but it was a very good week," the top seed said during the presentation ceremony.

"I'm a long way from winning Wimbledon but I feel confident and I don't want to get too far ahead of myself," he added.

"If I play my best like I did this week I've got a chance but we've got two of the greatest players of all time who are going to be there and it will be tough to get past them.

"The only thing left is to get a Grand Slam. Hopefully I can do that at Wimbledon in a couple of weeks."

Murray took a philosophical attitude to the pressure of expectation being heaped upon him for Wimbledon, revealing that wherever he goes people ask him about his prospects.

"Regardless of whether it's like this next week or like four months ago, the majority of people that I speak to say, 'Good luck at Wimbledon' because it's kind of how people view tennis in this country," he said Murray.

"When I go for a walk with the dog, if I happen to bump into someone who my dog is playing with their dog, then I'll have a chat with them.

"But I'm going to live my normal life. I'm not going to start switching the TV off and not listening to radio.

"It doesn't matter what people write and say. It doesn't win me matches and doesn't lose me matches.

"You can let the pressure affect you if you want to. You can let the expectation get to you if you really want to but I'm just going to play tennis and not worry about the rest of the stuff, because I don't think it's good for your game," he said.

"I go on with the mentality that I'm going to win it, I'll have to play my best tennis ever to do it. It's so difficult to do. That's why no one in Britain's done it for such a long time, because it is that difficult.

"Especially right now with the guys that are in front of me in the rankings. In my opinion, they're the two best ever. So I'm going to have to beat them if I want to do that. That's not an easy thing to do."

Despite a great run to the final, Blake was left to pick up his second runners-up cheque at the west London club.

"I don't think I saved one break point today," said the 29-year-old American. "He just played those points a little better than me today. That's frustrating but when it just turns on a couple points, I feel like I'm right there for Wimbledon.

The American cheekily added that he hopes to avoid the man who beat him at the Queen's final, however.

"Hopefully Andy will be on the other side of the draw!" he joked.

"He's got the ability to beat anyone in the world.

"It's just a matter of doing it at the right time. He's definitely a possibility to win Wimbledon."

Reuters

Comment 24 - 43 of 43

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. Don't want to see Andy Murray anywhere - especially­ not on my TV! Can't stand the boy. Immature,­ spoiled brat. YUK! RUDE!!

    From elinearmstrong1, on Thu 18 Jun 8:38PM

  2. Jean M. Please, please shut up and go away. Him­ supporting any team other than England was a response­ to some ribbing from Des Kelly and Tim Henman having a­ dig at the Scotland team. The whole interview can be­ seen on Youtube. Check it out. And as for wearing­ another teams shirt when England played. Never ever­ happenned. Dont get caught up in all the nationalistic­ nonsense. Learn not to follow the herd.

    From Peter, on Wed 17 Jun 8:54AM

  3. Murray will not have my support or many more people I­ know! Saying it was a joke does not convince people! ­ And wearing a shirt of the opposing team when­ England played is unforgivable.... He will not be­ backed by an awful lot of people at Wimbledon

    From jean, on Wed 17 Jun 7:21AM

  4. As soon as Nadal was k.o'd in Paris the British­ press had Murray starred to win: he didn't get­ beyond the Q/F. Nearly everything is against him­ winning. He has never won a slam or beaten Federer on­ grass or in five sets. The last sixteen grand slams­ have been won by either Federer or Nadal with one­ exception = Djokovic. Federer is almost invincible on­ grass which happens to be his best surface. But for bad­ light and not being 100 per cent fit he may well have­ beaten Nadal in last year's final. And if we forget­ the two mighty opponents above Murray there's still­ Roddick, Verdasco, Davydenko, Ljubicic, Ferrer, Del­ Potro, Soderling, a rejuvenated Haas, and several other­ dangerous floaters to negotiate. Plus he has the­ British press on his back. Murray may win a grand slam­ elsewhere, but it is inconceivable that he will never­ win Wimbledon.

    From forfarmarkus, on Tue 16 Jun 12:56PM
  5. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    I keep wondering when will people realize that a game­ of three set and a game of five set is not the same,­ Murray has beaten Federer 6:2 out of the six winnings­ which one was a five set? In the just concluded Roland­ Garros Tommy Hass made a statement he said if it was a­ masters game he would have been considered the winner­ of the match he played with Federer, My friends please­ wake up to reality and stop blabing about Murray­ defeating Federer in a Grand Slam of five set, there is­ no way Federer knowing who Murray is will allow Murray­ to take the first two set of a Grand Slam he will make­ sure he takes the first set or the second, in grand­ slams of Five set there are only two people that I can­ tell you Federer is afraid of one among the two is a­ write off for now and that is Novak djokovic he beat­ Federer in 2008 Australian open Semi but in the return­ match in 2008 US open he was placed in the place where­ he rightly belongs the other player is Nadal, he is­ someone who understands Federer so well in the game of­ Five set, but with 14 Grand Slam and the record of­ winning all the Grand Slam in all the surface I­ don't think an unfit Nadal can stand a relaxed­ Federer who will be playing with nothing to loss. Reed­ can you paste your picture on your coloumn just as it­ is done in the Football coloumn I really will like to­ see the face of the man writing all this dumb and­ forsaking articles

    From stine147, on Tue 16 Jun 12:43PM

  6. I keep wondering when will people realize that a game­ of three set and a game of five set is not the same,­ Murray has beaten Federer 6:2 out of the six winnings­ which one was a five set? In the just concluded Roland­ Garros Tommy Hass made a statement he said if it was a­ masters game he would have been considered the winner­ of the match he played with Federer, My friends please­ wake up to reality and stop blabing about Murray­ defeating Federer in a Grand Slam of five set, there is­ no way Federer knowing who Murray is will allow Murray­ to take the first two set of a Grand Slam he will make­ sure he takes the first set or the second, in grand­ slams of Five set there are only two people that I can­ tell you Federer is afraid of one among the two is a­ write off for now and that is Novak djokovic he beat­ Federer in 2008 Australian open Semi but in the return­ match in 2008 US open he was placed in the place where­ he rightly belongs the other player is Nadal, he is­ someone who understands Federer so well in the game of­ Five set, but with 14 Grand Slam and the record of­ winning all the Grand Slam in all the surface I­ don't think an unfit Nadal can stand a relaxed­ Federer who will be playing with nothing to loss. Reed­ can you paste your picture on your coloumn just as it­ is done in the Football coloumn I really will like to­ see the face of the man writing all this dumb and­ forsaking articles

    From stine147, on Tue 16 Jun 12:42PM

  7. I keep wondering when will people realize that a game­ of three set and a game of five set is not the same,­ Murray has beaten Federer 6:2 out of the six winnings­ which one was a five set? In the just concluded Roland­ Garros Tommy Hass made a statement he said if it was a­ masters game he would have been considered the winner­ of the match he played with Federer, My friends please­ wake up to reality and stop blabing about Murray­ defeating Federer in a Grand Slam of five set, there is­ no way Federer knowing who Murray is will allow Murray­ to take the first two set of a Grand Slam he will make­ sure he takes the first set or the second, in grand­ slams of Five set there are only two people that I can­ tell you Federer is afraid of one among the two is a­ write off for now and that is Novak djokovic he beat­ Federer in 2008 Australian open Semi but in the return­ match in 2008 US open he was placed in the place where­ he rightly belongs the other player is Nadal, he is­ someone who understands Federer so well in the game of­ Five set, but with 14 Grand Slam and the record of­ winning all the Grand Slam in all the surface I­ don't think an unfit Nadal can stand a relaxed­ Federer who will be playing with nothing to loss. Reed­ can you paste your picture on your coloumn just as it­ is done in the Football coloumn I really will like to­ see the face of the man man writing all this dumb and­ forsaking articles

    From stine147, on Tue 16 Jun 12:42PM

  8. Alison wishes everyone good luck she is either a nice­ person or has lost the plot.

    From ragmaster1, on Tue 16 Jun 11:02AM

  9. This year is a lot less predictable that previous­ years. Federer has not played his warm up tournament in­ Halle. Nadal did not play Queens and is struggling and­ could possibly be impaired with injury. Haas has played­ magnificently in his last two tournaments. Djokovic has­ never performed well at Wimbledon. Nalbandian is­ injured.

    That means that Murray has a chance, but Fed­ has to be the favourite.

    From Steve G, on Tue 16 Jun 9:42AM

  10. comment john 15

    murray beaten federer when he was­ out of form .now federer is back with his original­ game.federer and nadal only the players more consist­ now a days.murray wait for u r chance to get beaten by­ federer.

    From anu, on Tue 16 Jun 7:51AM

  11. Hail to ROGER FEDERER who is the only tennis player in­ history who can win a grand slam without being at his­ 100%...

    From pooyan_moonwalker, on Tue 16 Jun 12:39AM
  12. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    The problem in my eyes for murray is he doesnt have the­ winners nadal and federer does. Granted his record with­ the big guys is great but its not that great against­ them in 5 setters. Best of luck and no matter what you­ say about him to see a guy from rainy dumblane win a­ tennis grand slam would be pretty impressive. If we can­ give him even half the support we gave tim he could­ grow into an exceptional player. One comment was made­ about england and that makes him anti english? living­ in london and hes anti english? a joke at that taken­ out of context.... i hate how people fall for selective­ media coverage, if your going to be opinionated at­ least have all the facts.

    From Vishay K, on Mon 15 Jun 11:22PM

  13. Are all the stories on the tennis page going to be­ about Murray. 3 out of 5 are on Murray, and the other 2­ mention him. What about Haas. He was an inch away from­ beating Fed in Roland Garros, and won in Halle. Why not­ 5 stories on him for the next 3 weeks?

    From webbski, on Mon 15 Jun 10:11PM
  14. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    rc_alcock smells of urine

    From paddy_buy_yours, on Mon 15 Jun 9:57PM
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    if Murray wins Wimbledon, I will stop watching­ tennis...

    From gorgui, on Mon 15 Jun 9:51PM
  16. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    rc_alcock post 24, your a big joke

    From paddy_buy_yours, on Mon 15 Jun 9:38PM
  17. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    How is this news? Someone is "thinking about­ Wimbledon"?! There are 4 tournaments on Right Now,­ kindly cover them properly Yahoo, you obsequious heap­ of dung.

    From Chemical Ali, on Mon 15 Jun 8:45PM
  18. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    just because murray won the 2 bob cup,and by the way­ the real tennis guys were not even there.to say this­ over rated anti english @#$% will wimbledon you must be­ joking.most want anybody that plays mr arrogant to beat­ him,

    From jack, on Mon 15 Jun 8:25PM

  19. Best of luck Andy, You can do it. Give it all you have­ got and the people cant ask for more than that. I hope­ you make it into the finals mate, best of luck.

    From JamesH, on Mon 15 Jun 8:09PM

  20. What happened Alison? Two weeks ago you couldn't­ stand Andy, now you seem to be his number one chair­ leader!

    From Nicholas, on Mon 15 Jun 7:46PM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account