Eurosport - Tue, 20 Jan 09:30:00 2009
Eurosport tennis analysts Greg Rusedski and Virginia Wade discuss Andy Murray's chances in this year's Australian Open.
Virginia Wade: Andy Murray is playing the best of anyone in the world at the moment - but in a way you sense that Roger Federer is saving everything up to win this one. But who knows?
Greg Rusedski: I have to say that Andy's got a great chance to win, and I think he's ready to win a major championship now. Last year he wasn't. To me, he looks stronger, he looks fitter, he's hitting the ball better... and since he lost to Nadal at Wimbledon last year he's gotten more aggressive. A lot of people would say that, on paper, he's been the best player in the world since then.
VW: Murray plays this amazingly complete game which is always fascinating to watch, because he's always doing something a little different. But he himself has said 'the way I play when I'm playing well, I have to have so much concentration' - and to keep that up for five sets day after day after day... Sometimes you can win a game in straight sets and it drains you because your concentration is so good, while other times you might be on court for much longer but it won't be so bad because you're on automatic. I don't think Andy can play on automatic. I think he has to have everything functioning at full tilt - particularly his head.
GR: On that score Pat Cash recently said that he's had trouble bouncing back after five-set matches - beating Gasquet followed by losing to Nadal at Wimbledon; then beating Nadal before losing to Federer at the US Open, for example. But Murray could have turned the match against Federer at the US Open had he won that second set when he didn't use Hawkeye to his favour. He's spent a month in Miami training for this and the results are showing. He's physically ready - the question for me is if he's mentally ready. I think everything's in place right now - and I'm expecting a Federer-Murray final.
VW: This time last year we talked about Murray possibly winning, but it was never going to happen. But he's made giant strides since then, he's improved his strengths and taken away his weaknesses. He's coming into his own.
GR: Let's put things into perspective: you've got Roger Federer with 13 Slams, Novak Djokovic has one and Rafael Nadal has five, so to say he's the outright favourite might be stretching it. But can he win it? Yes he can. He's serving such a high percentage of first serves in, and people haven't been able to attack it. He's got a lot more variety in it as well which is putting guys like Nadal and Federer under pressure.
VW: And I tell you one thing: if it comes down to Murray against Federer, and Andy Murray can go on court thinking about having beaten Roger Federer twice in two weeks, he'll feel pretty good about playing him... but it's a long way between now and then - and a Grand Slam title.
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Comment 1 - 4 of 64
As if the opinion of Wade and Rusedski mean anything!
fed is the best
i'm hoping for a Djokovic - Murray final.
I think its gonna be a classic btw Federer and Nadal although i would like it to be Federer Murray with Fedex coming on top (Kinda revenge). Still i think we are fortunate we tennis fans to be born in the best tennis era ever
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