Murray’s not letting go easily
BUT WILL HE BE HELD BACK BY INJURY WOES?
TWO weeks ago, I was confident that Andy Murray would retain his Wimbledon title this year.
On the eve of the tournament, I’m not so sure.
In fact, after his performance at Queen’s Club, I’ve had to replace Murray as my choice for the Championships.
Two years ago, I never thought I would say this again.
But now I make Roger Federer favourite to win his eighth Wimbledon Singles title.
Yes, Federer, who’s approaching 36 and last won at SW19 back in 2012.
In my book, going into the Wimbledon fortnight, Andy Murray lags behind the Swiss master in form, confidence and mental approach.
For years, Federer has been desperate to add another Wimbledon title to put him out on his own on eight victories.
This year I think he can achieve his aim.
The Scot is still my second favourite – but by some distance.
It is not the defeat at Queen’s Club – to the virtually unknown Australian Jordan Thompson – that worries me. Every top player has unexpected losses at some stage.
It was the manner of the defeat that concerns me.
There did not seem to be much appetite for the match from Andy. There was not the hunger for victory that is a normal part of Murray’s make-up.
Actually, it was a shocking performance. Everybody watching could not believe that Andy’s forehand was so horrendous on the day.
None of this can take away from that fact that Murray fully deserved to end last year as the world No. 1.
What Andy achieved in the second half of last year was stupendous, beyond belief.
It concerns me now that what Murray put himself through to reach
There was not the appetite or hunger for victory at Queen’s Club that is a normal part of Murray’s make-up
that No. 1 slot has now caught up with him. It’s as if his body is rejecting it.
The weird part is that in Paris for the French Open, it appeared that Andy had turned things round.
He started off very sloppy, and very agitated, in the early rounds at RolandGarros, but got better and better as he worked his way through.
By the semi-final, Murray was playing terrific tennis, and it required an unbelievable performance from Stan Wawrinka to stop him.
After that match, I installed Andy as my favourite for Wimbledon.
I thought the Scot would build on that form at Queen’s. I expected Andy to come out in the grass-court season with all guns blazing.
That didn’t happen at Queen’s Club, and it’s puzzling. Everything looked rather negative. Andy has had his injury problems. After the Australian Open, he was diagnosed with shingles.
Then an elbow injury put him on the sidelines, and in the past week he pulled out of two exhibition matches at Hurlingham due to a sore hip.
So, no doubt about it, Murray needs to find his mojo again.
I happened to be back stage at Queen’s when an order was being placed for two big boxes of Slazenger tennis balls to be delivered to Ivan Lendl’s Wimbledon address.
I can only imagine that Murray has been slogging through some tough drills in the last 10 days – particularly involving his forehand.
Andy, of course, can prove me wrong. I hope he does. The past few days is the time that Lendl could really have made his presence felt.
I kind of sense a change in the relationship between Murray and his coach.
When they first began their partnership, I felt Andy really looked up to Ivan, and respected his multiple Grand Slam-winning record.
Lendl never won Wimbledon, by picked up eight Grand Slams, more than twice as many as Andy currently has.
I believe that respect was the key to Murray winning his first two Grand Slam titles. It seems to me now that the balance in the relationship has shifted slightly.
Whatever the situation, I hope Team Murray gets back on track over the next fortnight.
Can Andy retain his title? Of course he can – but all the negativity has to be swept off court.
It concerns me now that what Murray put himself through the reach world No.1 has now caught up with him