Kyle’s the real deal, so watch out Novak
FOR the last decade we have got used to always having Andy Murray as the British No1 heading into Wimbledon. But Kyle Edmund now holds that top spot, and deservedly so. His transformation is remarkable, he has gone from a young man to a fully-fledged top class player in a matter of months. And he now has the fear factor in the locker room too, the top guys respect him.
A potential third round match against Novak Djokovic? It’s obviously difficult, and last year I’d have given him no chance. But he is a changed man and he has this aura about him. He is not cocky but he knows now that he belongs, that he is capable of it. It’s a sort of ‘watch out, I am here’.
Whatever his backroom team did in the off-season before the Australian Open I would like to know. This time last year he looked brittle at times. You wondered about five sets at Grand Slams.
His backhand was vulnerable and his movement was OK. His forehand and his serve were his weapons. But now his backhand is a proper shot, he can block returns when he needs to and his movement is better.
Beating Murray in Eastbourne will have been a big moment psychologically, and he beat him easily. It shows how far he has come.
This surface is his worst but at Queen’s he looked like a grass court player. He should get through his first two rounds and then in all likelihood comes this small matter of a clash with Djokovic (above). I don’t see why he couldn’t win that, although it is very difficult for me to go against Djokovic. It could be a mouth-watering match.
Other than that as a possibility, I’m not really predicting any major upsets on the men’s side of the draw.
This time in a fortnight, I think there will be a case of deja vu for tennis fans, with the top two seeds Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal going head to head for the title.
It seems strange to be picking a repeat of the classic 2008 final, but they are still at the top of the pack 10 years on.
Federer is moving as well, if not better, than in his mid-20s. It defies imagination. Maybe he is from a breed of super humans.
Similarly super-human and ridiculous is what Nadal has just done in Paris, winning his 11th French Open title. It will never be repeated. The fact I am predicting that final goes to show that the younger players, however exciting, have not kicked on enough over. The likes of Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev are good players, but I don’t think, as of yet, they are good enough. They are not great players. Who would have thought the ‘Fab Four’ of Federer, Nadal, Murray and Djokovic would become the ‘Fab Two’ and they would be the oldest two?
I am enjoying the heck out of it while they are still there. There is always a note of caution with Federer and Nadal. You fear this could be their last Wimbledon. You never know.
If you wanted an outsider, I’ve picked Nick Kyrgios before, and he captured the imagination at Queen’s last week. But he is so frustrating.
He has so much natural ability, but he won’t win a Grand Slam unless he realises that a shot between his legs is worth no more than a lucky net-cord. However enjoyable his game is to watch, he has to modify it and take out the trick shots.
You also cannot ignore the third seed Marin Cilic when it comes to picking a potential champion because he is in great form.
Over in the women’s draw, it is so wide open that you could make a case for so many of them. There isn’t one player who you could say will definitely make the final.
Madison Keys has been threatening for a while, she had a very good French Open, and a great US Open. Grass backs up her game, and this could be her break-through.
All eyes in Britain will be on Johanna Konta, but how she will do is a really hard one to call. Her draw is good and she could get right through to the quarters again, maybe even the semis, but all that will depend on whether her belief is there.
I think Garbine Muguruza will come through to win it because she has been there and done it, and she plays so well on grass. Her form is not that great but walking back into Wimbledon will bring back happy memories for her.