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Wimbledon - Murray volley

Wimbledon: Krajicek and Ivanisevic analyse Murray

   

The Tennis Space

Tuesday, 3 July 2012

Richard Krajicek and Goran Ivanisevic, two former Wimbledon champions, discuss Andy Murray’s chances at the All England Club and what Ivan Lendl has done for the Scot. Krajicek told The Tennis Space that it was to Murray’s advantage that he started the tournament without a win on grass this summer as that helped to lower pressure and expectation, and Ivanisevic argued that Lendl has made Murray’s forehand into more of a weapon. Both believe that Murray is more than capable of winning his first grand slam title on Sunday.

Can Murray win Wimbledon this summer? 
 
Krajicek: “Before the tournament, I predicted that Murray would win, if he got through the first week, and I’m staying with that. He’s the favourite. Last year, he was so close, the way he was beating Nadal for a set and a half in the semi-finals. He showed where his level was and that he can beat anybody. He made Nadal look slow last year. He was hitting him all over the court. At this year’s Australian Open, Murray showed that he had matured mentally. Plus he came here not playing that well, so there was a little less pressure and expectation. I was adding all these things up. I think he can win. This year he only has to beat one great player. He doesn’t have to beat Nadal and then Federer, or Nadal and then Djokovic. Nadal is out. Murray only has to beat one legend to win the tournament. Not many people have beaten Nadal and Federer at the same tournament, and Murray doesn’t have to do that.” 
 
Ivanisevic: “I think Andy can win every grand slam apart from the French Open. He’s been in three grand slam finals. He’s beaten all these guys before, so he knows how to do it. My pick is Djokovic, but Andy has all the weapons to win a grand slam. I think he’s ready.” 

Has Lendl made a big difference?

Ivanisevic: “In Australia at the start of the year, Andy was more aggressive with his shots. He was going for it. He’s not as scared to go to the net. He doesn’t stay so far back. His forehand is working more, it’s more of a weapon.”

Krajicek: “Lendl has made a big difference. Andy was always fast, but it seems as though he’s now faster. They’ve worked a lot on the physical side of Andy’s game. People always talk about Nadal and Djokovic’s movement, and how many balls they get back, but it’s amazing how many balls Andy gets back.”

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Richard Krajicek and Goran Ivanisevic are commentating for BBC Five Live during these Championships.

   
  • Anonymous

    I have to say there’s one area of Murray’s game which had to change if he is ever to win a Slam: his gaping lapses in concentration caused mainly by his bad tempered rants when he misses a shot.  It’s a huge waste of energy – physical, psychological and emotional but most importantly there’s a loss of focus, so that he arrives back to serve or receive in a mental vacuum, without having a strategy for the next point.  From then on he flounders.

    Of his rants, he’s been quoted as saying ‘that’s just how I am’, as though to imply ‘I’m not going to fix it’.  It’s one of the most frustrating aspects of watching him play: the way he misses an easy winner and goes into a funk, followed by a not so gradual crumbling of his entire game.  Then just as you think he’s climbing back up out of the abyss, off he goes again… grrrr.  Why he can’t see how it’s damaging his game is a mystery… an aggravating, annoying lack of awareness of what is required to win a big one.

    I’d been hoping that Lendl would be the one to turn Murray around and show him that he has to ‘fix it’ if he is not to remain a perpetual No.4 and lower – get him to shed this ‘that’s how I am, that’s how I’ve always been’ attitude and see the fundamental error of his ways.  Well, I’m still not sure if Lendl has been giving that critical advice but things seem to be getting better – I’ve seen a marked improvement, as evidenced in the match against Djokovic in Australia and the effort against Ferrer at Wimbledon,  Are we there yet?  I guess that’s the big question which will be answered in the next few days.  I’m hoping though.