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Murray joins the elite

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In the last year, men's tennis has been through one its most tumultuous and thrilling periods as the 'big three' have battled it out for supremacy.

It may not be long before that becomes the 'big four'.

While Rafael Nadal has wrestled the world number one spot and Wimbledon crown from Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic has taken his first Grand Slam title in Australia, Murray has made it clear he intends to crash the party.

Last year, the summer Masters Series stretch of Montreal and Cincinnati brought Murray just one victory, against Robby Ginepri, and two thrashings at the hands of Fabio Fognini and Marcos Baghdatis.

He was still overcoming the serious wrist injury that had kept him out for three months and looked light years away from challenging the likes of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic.

Fast forward 12 months and Murray has since picked up titles in St Petersburg, Doha and Marseille, reached his first Grand Slam quarter-final at Wimbledon, and now won a first Masters Series tournament in Cincinnati.

The new rankings on Monday saw the 21-year-old rise to a career high of six in the world.

And the reality is that, right now, Murray is probably closer to being the fourth best player on the planet, with the big three getting closer and closer.

Murray was rightly questioned for choosing to part with star coach Brad Gilbert last November and introduce his own team of coaches and fitness specialists.

And the off-court decisions have not always been sound, notably releasing a spikey biography called "Hitting Back" at the age of 21.

But when the pressure really came on under the spotlight of Wimbledon, there was a change of mood in the Murray camp and he dealt calmly with everything thrown at him.

On court, the areas of improvement are numerous: the serve, the forehand, his fitness, his temperament, more aggressive tactics.

Add to that the factors that were already in place - a world-class backhand, an all-court game, superb defence, an astute tactical mind - and you have a pretty complete player in the making.

Questions remain over whether Murray is ready to win a Grand Slam title - seven five-set matches in 14 days - and his heavy defeat by Nadal at Wimbledon suggested there is still some way to go.

As for the forthcoming Olympics and US Open, Nadal remains very much the best player in the world, Djokovic has a good case to be the favourite on hard courts, and Federer is still….. well, Federer.

But you can be sure that the big three will be looking out for Murray's name when the draws are made for Beijing and Flushing Meadows.

And with Federer set to turn 27 on Friday, while Nadal is the eldest of his three rivals at just 22, could the 'big three' of the future see no place for the Swiss?

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comment by CUJMee (U6758932)

posted Aug 8, 2008

"I dislike Murray and think he is run of the mill. So what? You don't agree. So what? That's what these things are all about. As for Scotland, I must admit I don't have very happy experiences with the country or its people. But it's my opinion. Respect it, as I respect yours if you think Scotland and the Scots are pleasant."

It's an odd idea that someone who takes a racist stance on a board intended for the discussion of tennis thinks his opinion deserves respect. And don't try protesting that you're not racist, PdelP - you frequently include an attack on Scots as people in your posts and if you made similar comments against Jews or blacks you would be modded off this board before your fingers stopped hitting the keys.

You have a problem, and it has nothing to do with whether you know anything about tennis or not. None of your posts ever actually discuss tennis, only personalities, and one personality at that. You are a sad obsessive and your poisonous opinions certainly don't deserve any respect here.

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comment by Biscuits (U7774523)

posted Aug 8, 2008

Just before we get the semanticists all het up again CUJ, let's get it straight.

potro's comments about the Scots show that he is a xenophobe. It is as yet unknown whether he is also a racist.

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comment by Beethoven's Left Ear (U10962431)

posted Aug 8, 2008

King

Just what I was about to say. It's an important distinction.

Anyway on to the rest of my post:

"Don't expect respect here though or a half rational debate... only time will set things straight. Chat again after the olympics"

Another classic from zulu laugh

There are black pots and kettles everywhere!!!!

potro and zulu
sitting in a tree
K-I-S-S-I-N-G

You see, I too can de-base the thread to a childish playground.

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comment by NapoleonEinstein (U2154887)

posted Aug 8, 2008

As for Scotland, I must admit I don't have very happy experiences with the country or its people. But it's my opinion. Respect it, as I respect yours if you think Scotland and the Scots are pleasant.
-----------------

sorry but saying something is an opinion does not make it bullet proof subjective view that cannot be wrong. you reduce basically any stance to opinion.

your opinion seems to be based on generalizing and assuming a group of peope have a particular set of negative attributes based on their location. this is called xenophobia. Society generally frowns on xenophobia so much that our legal system would in some instances punish people for expressing it.


so no, I will not respect your opinion, because I believe in only being tolerant to a belief where it itself displays tolerance.

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comment by Lager_Lout (U848452)

posted Aug 8, 2008

i was delighted to see that murray cracked the masters series and did it in some style by defeating Djokovic. let's hope we see him take Nadal soon too. once you have beaten the player, doing it again is that much easier. maybe it will happen in the olympics. if he beats Nadal then we will have a big 4.

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comment by CUJMee (U6758932)

posted Aug 8, 2008

Accepted, KoHV - xenophobia it is, and no less reprehensible for that. It's so boring, too.

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comment by superZULUZULU (U12367525)

posted Aug 8, 2008

CUJW
Accepted, KoHV - xenophobia it is, and no less reprehensible for that. It's so boring, too.
>>

At most his post may be defined as a prejudice, unimaginable in the UK... Ironic, Murray supporters calling someone xenophobic winkeye

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comment by Biscuits (U7774523)

posted Aug 8, 2008

You have a point there Zulu, although perhaps it's not wise to lump all Murray supporters together. Only some of them hate the English. Some of us actually are English.

potro knows the word that I would choose to describe him. It is tool. He needs to work on being as funny as jim and then maybe he'll be less of one. Maybe the Chinese will teach him humour. Either that or they'll lock him up. Or worse.

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comment by Bright Blue Shorts (U116149)

posted Aug 11, 2008

Piers - Big Four eh?

He's talented, he's got every chance of getting to the top, but don't start mentioning him alongside the Big Three until he's actually there.

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