Wimbledon - Murray admits Wimbledon vision

Eurosport - Thu, 18 Jun 16:17:00 2009

Andy Murray has admitted his attempt to win Wimbledon for the first time will be fuelled by his vision of what it would be like to serve for the title.

TENNIS 2009 ATP Queen's Andy Murray - 0

Murray, the world number three, is expected to mount a serious challenge for the mens singles title at the All England Club when the tournament gets under way on Monday.

The Scot won his first grass-court title at Queen's last week and he can't stop thinking about what it would be like to reach match point in the Wimbledon final.

"I've thought about serving for the title - but the closer you get to a Grand Slam the less you think about it," he told BBC Radio Five Live.

"In the gym is the time I think about those things - to find a reason for putting in the hard work - and when you're going through it on the running track.

"Sometimes you feel sorry for yourself, you are finding reasons for doing the training. When I get tired and out of breath I think, 'I'm doing this so I can last long enough in the fifth set of a Grand Slam' - focusing on the last point and hoping your opponent misses."

Murray, seeded third behind Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon last year before being thrashed by eventual winner Nadal.

Bolstered by many hours of physical training in the searing heat of Miami after that defeat, Murray is now a far more dominant player. He has already beaten Nadal and Federer this season and admits his confidence is sky-high.

"It is good for confidence any time you win tournaments," he said. "To win your first event on grass is nice - I had never made a final on grass.

"At Queen's I felt more comfortable on grass than I have in the past. I played well there and I feel good.

"It is a tough thing to do because you are only playing one or two tournaments on grass a year and all of the best players normally play."

Most players have to survive at least one gruelling five-set match en route to a Grand Slam success and Murray, who reached the US Open final last year, believes he can last the pace as well as anyone.

"I needed to get even stronger to be able to play back-to-back five-set matches over the whole tournament," he said.

"After Wimbledon last year, I went to train in Miami for three or four weeks and that is pretty tough weather to train in around this time of year.

"That made a difference going into the hard court stretch and I made my first slam final. I have that belief that I can play the whole of the slams now.

"I would love to win Wimbledon one day, there is no question about that, but I try not to think about it too much."

AFP

Comment 1 - 12 of 12

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. janekralj what a pompous attitude. Hewitt, ivanisevic­ and McEnroe were hardly elegant.

    From lucymiff, on Fri 19 Jun 1:59AM

  2. All he said was that he would love to win Wimby one day­ and wonders what it would be like to serve for the­ title. Those thoughts are what keeps him going in the­ gym.
    This year he's improved his game and physique­ enormously but he still has to beat Rafa and Federer in­ 5 sets. He might do it in Wimby, who knows?

    From cathrenehume, on Thu 18 Jun 4:35PM

  3. I just hope its not the time for murray to ruin the­ sport. Wimbledon is all about the tradition and­ elegance... And it is all that is Roger Federer and it­ is all that is not Andrew Murray!

    From Jane, on Thu 18 Jun 4:26PM

  4. From a non-british (Portugal):

    I do believe Murray has­ a shot this year.

    And I think, no matter what the­ press says, no matter his usual bitterness and lack of­ humor, he's not indifferent to all the excitement­ surrounding him in from the English people, he­ can't be.

    Right now, he's certainly proud to­ be representing the Brits in SW19.

    If he gets to the­ final in Center Court this year, there's no one in­ the circuit capable of take the cup from him.

    And what­ an historical and emotional moment it would be, not for­ Brits, but for the sport.

    From nestevens, on Thu 18 Jun 4:19PM

  5. Murrays not hyping anything !
    All hes doing is talkig­ about what hes doing to prepare for this­ competition.
    If any of you diks actually listened to­ his interviews you would know that he did actually say­ that he didnt read much into winning queens because the­ rest of the top 4 werent there.
    The facts are the facts­ - The guys no 3 in the world and without doubt alot­ closer to number 2 than any of his british predecessors­ - cut the guy some slack and enjoy the fact we have­ four great players competing along with several guys on­ thier way up the ladder.

    From walsh705, on Thu 18 Jun 4:04PM

  6. Oh well i suppose it will be Murray mount this year not­ Henman hill.Miss Tim and Greg can Murray win wimbledon­ he has a good chance if he not in the same draw as the­ great Roger.Good luck to all.

    From AJ, on Thu 18 Jun 4:00PM

  7. lol well said walsh, besides that many people under­ rate murray he might just pull off a surprise at­ wimbledon especially if rafa is really injured and he­ is in the same side of the draw, winning queens was a­ great first step even though it is far from a­ prerequisite for winning wimbledon. murrays improved­ fitness has definitely got him to no 3 and to all those­ who say he cant win a slam well i think he might end up­ proving u wrong he certainly can last the distance­ these days which more than can be said for him last­ year at this time.

    From ralph, on Thu 18 Jun 3:58PM

  8. Vision? Another improper use of the word­ "vision" when someone forgets how to spell­ "a hallucination". Remember, this won't­ be your AEGON championship - Rafa, Fed, Nole will be­ there. As well as many others that can calm down The­ hype.

    From StockTrader, on Thu 18 Jun 3:49PM

  9. Keep dreaming Andy because I doubt you will ever win­ Wimbledon

    From Faye, on Thu 18 Jun 3:43PM

  10. Webbski r u fukin stupid???
    how the @#$% can u read his­ comments so wrong??
    The guys only saying his training­ is hard for @#$% sake !
    If you feel so strongly about­ starving africans send a pound to oxfam!!!
    DIK

    From walsh705, on Thu 18 Jun 3:38PM

  11. wow,you are already serving for the­ title..seriously,even Federer wouldnt say that..

    From ivanajaa, on Thu 18 Jun 3:38PM
  12. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    'sometimes you feel sorry for yourself'!! Get a­ grip mate. I'm sure the starving Africans don't­ feel sorry for you, they've got more important­ concerns. Lose in the first round please.

    From webbski, on Thu 18 Jun 3:15PM
Sort comments by: Most recent

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