posted Mar 20, 2008

That Haas match was sso frustrating. It was a match marred by some dreadful line calls that went against both players....I also have to say Haas was incredibly lucky on a numbeer of important points but in the end he deserved to win.....

I will say again. Andy Murray with a high 1st serve %, that plays aggressively without being reckless, and mixes his game up = Top 5 player.

Ady Murray with a low 1st serve %, playing defensively and passively = average 8-16 ranked player.

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posted Mar 20, 2008

Scotsguy

And I'm saying this through gritted teeth, but the Murray of the latter mode bores me to tears just like Djokovic does.

I think he has to sort out this problem with mental lapses and keep for the whole match the concentration and confidence in his own attacking game.

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posted Mar 20, 2008

By far the quickest and easiest way for Murray to sharply increase his chances of winning matches is to do something about his serve, which is rapidly becoming a liability.
What I again saw in his match was an increasing inability to get a first serve in, coupled with a tendency to roll the second serve in, which good players will climb into.
The stats don't lie. We all know he's an excellent returner, with good chances to break, even if some feel he plays a little passively- fact is he is top 20 on both first and second serve return.
We also know he has a potentially powerful serve, capable of 135mph plus and sure enough, he's in top 20 on aces and on winning first serve. This should be an awesome combination of all round quaility.
But as we know, at times his serve goes completely AWOL. In the second set, he was down to an execrable 35%. Added to this, he was down on power and placement as his confidence fell, so even the first serves that went in, were not winning an acceptable share of cheap points.
Of all the parts of your game, the serve is most viable to improve through coaching, technique and practice. Does anyone within Team Murray have the necessary bottle to point this out to him? I don't have much coaching knowledge, but technically, his action seems to have a tendency to collapse. The good news is the raw ingredients are there to turn it into a potent weapon. You can't teach power, it's something Henman never had and struggled to get much above 120mph. A sharp, and eminently achievable improvement in his serve, focussing on consistency and placement, will help him win enough cheap points on serve to avoid defeats like yesterday.
Stage 2 would be to try and sharpen up the second serve; not everyone has one like Sampras,but it could be much better than it is.

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posted Mar 20, 2008

After the first set of last night's match, you'd have thought Murray would have been fired up to get the job done, more so when he saw that Haas was raising his level. Instead he just seemed to go walkabout.Contrast it to his belief and focus against Fed.
It strikes me that at the moment Murray himself does not yet have enough self-belief or motivation to 'step up' and be up there with the big boys on a regular basis.

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posted Mar 20, 2008

i think Murray needs to stop this not gonna freak out patter....it is making him lose the fire in his bellie that personally i like to see in players...if we want robots to play the game then we should make them because the pressure the press and media put on Murrays on court behaviour is ruining him in my humble opinion

Admittedly he should cut the swearing out but there is feckall wrong with shouting abuse at yourself when yer playing piss poor to get yerself geed up

Last night when Haas was getting frustrated and giving himself abuse i and i think most of the crowd like to see this

So keep abusing yourself Andy cos you aint the only top player who does this your just the only player who gets it made an issue of

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posted Mar 20, 2008

If that funny chap pot-of-pee or whatever he calls himself, is still around, wondering what sport we're any good at - how about boxing? At least 4 world titles held at present. As for Lewis Hamilton, how galling it must be to see him get this season off to a good start!

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posted Mar 20, 2008

Yes, we're good at boxing. Must be all the deprived yougsters looking for an alternative to drugs, snooker and darts! Crap at tennis, though, as AM proved quite recently. Any bets on Murray for Wimbledon? Ha Ha!

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posted Mar 20, 2008

Belmons:
"If that funny chap pot-of-pee or whatever he calls himself"
If that funny chap, Belmons, or whatever... could speak any languages, other than nonsense, and would care to engage in a serious debate, encantado.

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posted Mar 20, 2008

I got slated recently for suggesting Murray's second serve was like Cris Evert's. Care to disagree now?

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posted Mar 21, 2008

No pot you got slated for being a tool, as usual.

Andy Murray's second serve is pretty rubbish, although what that has to do with Chris Evert is anybody's guess .

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