Let Us All Now Offer Up Praise To Andy Murray

[Guy Fawkes]

My thoughts on Murray, and indeed Scotland, have been written on this site many times before, so I won't bore you with it all again. But the one point I strongly disagree with on this thread is from those who say "he's got years ahead of him". No, he hasn't. I would say tennis more than ANY other sport requires youth and brilliance at a really young age. I'd say you're over the hill in tennis earlier than virtually any other game. In Murray's case, I would say 2011 is his last real chance. If he gets to this time next year with no grand slams then I think he's a rank outsider to ever do it.

You do seem to post some complete rubbish from time to time and this appears to be yet another example, lets compare Henman's career upto the age that Murray is now (23)

Before the age of 23, Henman had made just 1 Semi Final appearance and 2 quarter final appearances in his career at Grand Slam events. After the age of 23, Tim Henman then made 3 further Wimbledon Semi final appearances, (1999, 2001 & 2002) 2 more Wimbledon Quarter final appearances (2004 & 2004) made the Semi finals of the French and US opens in 2004.

Where as Andy Murray has already made the final of the US open in 2008, final of the Australian open in 2010, Quarter final of the French in 2009, Quarter final of Wimbledon in 2008 followed by 2 semi final appearances there in 2009 & 2010

Roger Federer was born on the 8th of August 1981, so he was 23 in 2004, he is now 29 so including the won a Grand slam he won last year and the 2 he won in 2009, he has won at least 12 Grand Slam titles since the age of 23 (just counting between 2005 and last year).
Federers record of Grand Slam wins
Australian Open 4 Wins (2004, 2006, 2007, 2010)
French Open W (2009)
Wimbledon 6 Wins (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009)
US Open 5 Wins (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)

So considering Henman's career after the age of 23, or the number of Grand Slams that Federer has won since being Murrays age (12 times), do you still think Murray only has a year left to win a Grand Slam and then face a career as an also ran?

 

[samtheseagull]

Into the quarter finals of the Aussie open without dropping a set

no praise from me, hes a jock.

 

[Guy Fawkes]

So what that tells me is exactly what I already thought - it's hard to IMPROVE in tennis once you're older than about 24/25. Thankyou for illustrating this so well. When he was 23, Henman was already a grand slam semi-finalist. He finished his career a semi-finalist. Federer at 23 was a multi-grand slam champion. He will finish his career a multi-grand slam champion. Also, 23 sounds reasonably young, when in reality this time next year Murray will be three months from his 25th birthday. If you were actually being unbiased, you would do the same stats for players from that age onwards, as that's when I said he will have no chance.

No, it shows that you don't reach your peak as a professional til later than 23, it shows that after 23 you can still be very competitive at the top of your sport, (from when was Federer considered to be the dominent player in his sport? before he was 24?) if you want another, better example then i give you Goran Ivanisovic, born September 13, 1971

Wimbledon record, runner up 1992, 1994, 1998 and WINNER 2001 aged just two months shy of his 30th birthday
French open record, runner up 1990 and then again in 1999

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Andre Agassi - born 1970

22 - Wimbledon
23
24 - US Open
25 - Australian Open
26
27
28
29 - French Open and US Open
30 - Australian Open
31 - Australian Open
32
33 - Australian Open

 

[NMH]

What about that other, honorary Scottich player, JOCKovich?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

What about that other, honorary Scottich player, JOCKovich?

 

[Icy Gull]

Nadal or Ferrer next, bet Andy is desperately hoping it's not Nadal because if it is .... Andy Murray

 

[mike79]

well no

he's won their last 2 slam meetings on hard court

 

[mike79]

not looking good for rafa

left with the doc!

surely it's that virus

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Nadal or Ferrer next, bet Andy is desperately hoping it's not Nadal because if it is .... Andy Murray

Not at all - he has a pretty good record against him. If I was a betting man, I would probably slightly tip Rafa at the mo, but there's a fag paper between them really. Anything can happen yet though, Rafa may have a long 5-setter against Ferrer, Ferrer may win, who knows.

 

[mike79]

are you watching this?

if nadal manages to get through this there will still be massive question marks

his condition changes everything

 

[mike79]

rafa just went 3/1 to get through

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

If he does get through this would drain him....

 

[Durlston]

Andy Murray will never have a better opportunity to win a Grand Slam. Hope he does it.

 

[Mellotron]

Andy Murray will never have a better opportunity to win a Grand Slam. Hope he does it.

Yes he will. He'll have LOADS.

 

[mike79]

indeed but this will be one of the best

if it goes as it's looking, it will be the dream run to the final

still got to raise his game tho, and fed and djok will also have a great chance

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Surely the two he was in the final could be classed as better chances?

 

[mike79]

first final he had limited rest and very young and no big game experience

this year he could well face djok and if it's fed, he's another year older

 

[Tricky Dicky]

first final he had limited rest and very young and no big game experience

this year he could well face djok and if it's fed, he's another year older

You don't get an easy match in a slam final. I might slightly worry about Murray mentally if he's to play Fed (not counting chicks, another round to go yet), but I beleive he is stronger for the experience of last year. Djok is no pushover, and whilst I would tip Murray over him slightly, it would be an interesting game.