Murray won’t be losing sleep over McEnroe claim
But Andy’s a way off big three, says Mac
AnDy MurrAy has hit back at John Mcenroe’s claim he is not in the same league as the rest of the ‘Big Four’ by arguing there is more to tennis than just winning Grand Slams.
Murray begins his grass-court season at the Aegon Championships this week, where he is hoping to become a record sixtime champion before the start of Wimbledon in a fortnight’s time. The Scot, at Queen’s yesterday, said: ‘For me, it does not matter what anyone else thinks.
‘if that’s the case, then what is the point in all of us being here? There are other tournaments outside the Slams.’
Andy Murray is a ‘distant fourth’ behind the main three rivals in his career, according to John McEnroe — and in some ways the 30-year-old Scot agrees.
The outspoken american says it is ‘amazing’ that Murray ever reached world no 1, with his status in that position coming under pressure over the next four weeks.
Today’s start of the aegon Championships at London’s Queen’s Club sees Murray defending the 2,500 ranking points from his triumphant run through to the end of Wimbledon a year ago.
If he slips up then rafael nadal or Stan Wawrinka could seize the no 1 spot from him. ‘He’s always been top four, but it’s been a distant fourth. In a way, he’s still a distant fourth,’ McEnroe told the Sunday Times on the eve of the tournament.
‘I think it’s amazing that he reached no 1, considering the obstacles, the competition that he was up against. I think that’s tremendous.
‘That’s part of why he’s struggling now. It took such an effort to get there, I think even he was shocked. But those three guys (nadal, novak djokovic, roger Federer) are better than him. no disrespect. you’re talking about three of the five greatest players that ever lived, so it’s a tall order.’
Murray was not especially perturbed by that analysis, which is statistically unarguable. Quite reasonably, though, he begs to differ when it comes purely to the last 12 months.
‘I’ve always been behind them in the rankings. If you look at the titles and everything those guys have won I can’t compare myself to them,’ he said. ‘There’s maybe one or two things that I have done that they won’t have (two Olympic singles golds for instance) but for the most part I would have been fourth. That’s if you look at a whole career. But it’s not true of the last year because I’m ranked no 1 in the world. I’ve been better than them for the last 12 months.
‘But in terms of the career as a whole, then if I could swap careers with those guys I obviously would because they have won a lot more than me.
‘For me, it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. I’m very proud of the Olympic medals, they mean a lot.
‘Within tennis, a lot of people just go, “oh that guy was a better player because he won more grand slams than that one, or that woman was better because she won more grand slams”. If that’s the case then what is the point in all of us being here today?’
When it comes to the Queen’s tournament, Murray is the undisputed greatest, having won it a record five times. He reported himself far more settled than he was going into the French Open, where he steadily improved and made the semi-finals. ‘I am happier with where my game is at. But going into a new period of the season on a different surface, there are always nerves about seeing how you adapt.
‘But I feel more comfortable, not because of just how the French went, but because of the practice in between.’
Murray does not play until tomorrow, when his opponent will be British no 4 aljaz Bedene, one of five home players in the 32-man field.
While weakened by the withdrawal of French Open champion nadal, there are still enough players in this week’s draw who will be serious contenders for the next four weeks on the grass.
The likes of Wawrinka and last year’s finalist Milos raonic are backed up the mercurial talents of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Grigor dimitrov and nick Kyrgios. The latter plays this afternoon, against donald young.