I actually think Murray's best chance of winning a slam is meeting Fed in the semis - he's only ever played 5 sets against Fed in the final, at which point Fed has worked himself into amazing form and just has that whole other level of self-belief. In the semis it's not quite the same.
As for Murray's play today, yes it was slightly disappointing in areas but I think part of Fed's success is that he doesn't allow his opponents to play their best, and I think Muzz was caught in that, Fed just didn't let him get enough of a rhythm or confidence in his shots for him to bring his best to the match. A shame sure but not something that only Andy has experienced when it comes to playing Federer and not something to cry over for too long.
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To look at a thing is quite different from seeing a thing and one does not see anything until one sees its beauty
Never mind Andy. Great fortnight overall. Really felt for him when he was on the podium. I don't think he will be down for too long. He will try even harder for sure and learn again from this. Sure his day will come.
There are of course the usual cries on other boards that he must play more aggressively.
The trouble is, if that is not your natural mind-set, can you change it? I am by nature not a gambler and I don't think anything would change that. Are there any players that have started out defensive and learned to be aggressive?
It's a shame, because we all know that he *can* play aggressively and do it well. But it must be very hard to play in a way which doesn't come naturally to you.
What a pity Andy couldn't really bring his A game to the final. Yes, Roger had much to do with this but i do think Andy will feel he could have played much better.
As has been said his variety was a bit disappointing, particularly re serve and volley or rather lack thereof. The opportunity was there, and it would have made Roger think more. Andy had said that he had put in the work on this to give him alternatives and then when it really mattered most he didn't do it. I guess a sense of the occasion and nerves made him fall back on the more familiar. I do hope it is something he tries more and becomes happier. He will never likely serve & volley often, but is is good to have the option and the more he tries it in coming matches the more he might go there when it really matters again in the future.
It has though been overall a really good 2 weeks. I still think his time will come. Once we worried about his comparative few points in compulsory tournaments, then not getting to later stages of Grand Slams. He only reached his first GS QF about 19 months ago and now in the last 7 GSs, he has two finals, one semi and two quarter final appearances, he now serially gets to late stages. I do see that final step coming.
I also think he has quite a few years to do this. Although there is a great deal of talent say a year either side of Andy, the next couple of years is for some reason more barren with noone really coming through that strongly. I did read somewhere how the ranking progress of the top say 1989 / 1990 borns was really much less marked than those who came just before them, which is the impression I get.
Well, disappointing. Andy seemed a bit tense and within himself I thought - which is understandable. A shame he couldn't loosen up a bit more and go for it though, but then again he would have been aware the margin for error is so small against Roger in that form. Some really great tennis from Andy in previous rounds - but Roger just had the knack of peaking at the right time on this occasion.
-- Edited by goldfish on Sunday 31st of January 2010 05:48:38 PM
Interesting stuff. I see what you mean about the "you know"s !! Roger just really got going in that department at the end :
"You know, in a way it was hard to watch, but at the same time I like seeing players who care for the game. I don't know. It's nice to see, you know. So you wish, you know, only the best for him."
there must be something about tennis players and 'you know's' cause boggo is always at it as well in his interviews too. he doesnt talk like it normally but there must be something that happens as soon as a mic gets shoved under their noses
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Shame for Murray to lose in the final and not to have played his best but even if he had, I'm not sure the result would have been too different as for the first couple of sets Federer played at a level I'm not sure Murray could have matched.
He should have won the third set though and if he had done so it could have changed the match, especially if he could have stolen that tiebreak after Federer had missed a match point on two but he just made a few too many sloppy errors that he couldn't afford to do.
I'm sure Murray will get this elusive slam but it is more likely to come if he doesn't have to face Federer in the final.
I agree with most of the comments made about Andy's performance. I must admit when Andy broke back in the third game of the match by playing some sublime tennis I thought Andy really had a great chance of the victory but unfortunately he could never sustain that level of play. I wonder whether deep down Andy thought he could win this match given how well Fed was playing. Saying that he could have won the first set and should have won the third. I must admit I wasn't aware that Andy had added weight to his racquet head which I assume has given him the extra pep on his forehand. Now fully recovered from the wrist injury I suppose it is a risk worth taking to give him a greater chance of winning that elusive grand slam. His serving was nowhere near good enough and why o why didn't he try and serve/volley when it has proved so successful this year. I also felt he relinquished the initiative too many times during rallies when he was in the ascendancy which allowed the Fed to ultimately win the point. On a non tennis issue I loved the rendition of 'Ole Macdonald had a Farm' sung near the start of the second set. A dropshot here and a dropshot their.. absolute classic. Overall though a very promising start to 2010 and vindicating his schedule of playing Hopman cup instead of a proper warm up tournament.