Rusedski believes Scot can win honour to end Wimbledon wait
SHOULD Andy Murray win Olympic gold at London 2012, just weeks after another Wimbledon title has slipped through his fingers, the irony would be lost on few – but Greg Rusedski believes it’s the Scot’s best chance of ending his wait for silverware in SW19.
Murray has contested, and failed to win, 26 Grand Slam tournaments and, after recently celebrating his 25th birthday, he failed to buck that trend in Paris with form, confidence and fitness low.
As Murray’s coach, Ivan Lendl’s honeymoon period is over – his charge has a niggling back problem, has not won a trophy since January and has not gone beyond the last eight in his three clay-court appearances this season.
When the circuit moves to Wimbledon’s manicured lawns next week, the three-times Grand Slam runner-up will again be under the microscope with the perennially nationwide outbreak of Murray Mania.
Three weeks further down the line however, the all-white dress code will be waived and the Royal Family will be replaced by the five-ringed circus – and ex-British number one Rusedski believes Murray proud participant but he will also be blinkered, focused and utterly committed to the tasks ahead of him.
even so, the pressure will mount as soon as Murray walks on court with his brother. Although Andy is not a regular on the doubles beat, he is the perfect partner for Jamie, rock solid from the back of the court with an excellent serve and a blistering return. To complement those strengths, Jamie has his speed, range and dexterity at the can be ringmaster. The 25-yearold has been confirmed as the first player in Team GB’s tennis squad for London 2012 this week and Rusedski is backing Murray to win a medal at the Olympic Games.
“Andy is going to be in the right place at the right time and he is going to be in the last four,” said Rusedski, who is a Barclays Ball Kid ambassador.
“So to me that means he is going to, most likely, have a very good chance of a medal and with the home crowd behind him and so with that support he has got a wonderful opportunity.
“But he just has to step up his game like he did at the Australian Open and keep on improving.
“I don’t think we will see this again – not in my lifetime at least. Getting the Olympics in London and, on top of that, at Wimbledon. It is a wonderful net. The younger Murray knows that they will not be there merely to make up the numbers this summer – they have a chance to do well provided Andy can keep his nerves in check.
“It probably feels a little bit different because I’m trying my best,” he said. “If I play doubles in Brisbane and lose and I’m not playing doubles with Jamie, I’m just glad that I’ve got time on the court.
“When play doubles with him, I’m desperate to do well so
Iyear for tennis. There is a lot to play for and a lot of prestigious titles to be won.
“We ask if it is Andy Murray’s year every year but he will definitely be one of the main contenders at London 2012.
“Andy has done fantastically to get to where he is in the world but I can’t see how he can challenge Rafael [Nadal] or Novak [Djokovic] presently.
“Hopefully that will all change, though, when it gets around to the London 2012 Olympic Games.”
Roger Federer has already stated that the pursuit of Olympic gold at Wimbledon – where he has won six titles – is what keeps his fires burning.
But Murray has reached at least the semi-finals of the last five Grand Slams he has played in until last month’s French Open, leaving Rusedski convinced that, if all that glitters is not gold, the Scot is all but I’m really disappointed if I don’t play well or feel like I’ve let him down or not played to the best of my ability because, when I do, we play some really good doubles together.
“We’ve had some good wins and we’ve lost a few close ones against like Daniel Nestor And Max Mirnyi and the Bryans, so we can challenge those guys when we both play well. But it takes both of us to put in a good performance.”
If they do that and claim a medal of any description, the world No 4 will be the happiest man in Team GB no matter what happens in the singles.
Yesterday, meanwhile, Andy Murray lost 6-4, 6-4 to Novak Djokovic at the Boodles exhibition event at Stoke Park, his last match before Wimbledon begins on Monday.
The exhibition match was delayed by two hours because of rain and, when the players eventually emerged on a damp court for a second time, it was clear they viewed it as a glorified practice session as they sought to avoid injury before they travelled to SW19. guaranteed a place on the Olympic podium.
“If I look at it now, Rafael Nadal has been sensational, added Rusedski. “He has really turned things around in recent weeks.
“Novak Djokovic won the Australian Open while Roger Federer has said his goal is to win the Olympics at Wimbledon.
“That has kept him motivated so he is going to be very hungry for the Wimbledon Championships because he has lost in the quarter-finals for the last two years and then, on top of that, wants to win the gold medal. But, if Andy gets to the last four, then he’s got a very good chance of a medal.” l For more information on becoming a Barclays Ball Kid at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London in November, you can visit www. barclaysballkids.com