next »

[Philip]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-1306843/Mums-word-form-Andy-Murray-prepares-US-Open.html

Mum's the word for in-form Andy Murray as he prepares for the US Open

She returned home this week but is back in the Big Apple this weekend in time for his first round match against Slovakian journeyman Lukas Lacko

Judy is said to have asked the BBC for DVDs of matches involving her son and other players to apply what is, within the game, acknowledged as her unusual technical expertise.

When Britain played Turkey in the Davis Cup, captain Leon Smith used Judy on an informal basis to scout the opposition.

'What she is very good at is picking up two or three points of strategy that are good to use against a specific opponent and getting them across in a way that is easy for a player to understand,' said Smith.

'From what I've seen of Andy here he seems in a good frame of mind and he has been playing some very good tennis.'

Judy is careful not to crowd Andy out, and in Canada and Cincinnati she is said to have texted him a few pointers before each match and that may have helped him produce his best tennis since January

[Philip]

You are welcome Sylvie.

[Philip]

http://www.sportinglife.com/tennis/usopen2010/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=tennis/10/08/30/manual_164414.html

"The hotter the better!" Murray joked in his pre-tournament press conference.  I spend a lot of time training in Miami to get used to the conditions, so I don't mind what heat it is."

As for the wind, Murray added: "It's tough. On Ashe during the day sessions is normally pretty difficult but it's the same for everyone and I've played there enough times."

I've said I always love playing here. I really, really enjoyed it so to win the juniors was great. But it's a whole different ball-game trying to win the seniors, that's for sure."

[Aileen]

Video and text from Beeb website [30 August]

Andy Murray primed for US Open challenge.  Seems he knows his first opponent from their days as juniors.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/8952858.stm

[Philip]

It would be really funny if Andy beats Fed in the final and Fed gives excuses such as bad back, or leg or whatever.

[Philip]

Interesting point. 

Of course if Andy doesn't allow Fed's words to affect him then they won't as amply demonstrated by Andy beating Fed in straight sets at Toronto. What is significant is that this time it was at a MS Final so it will have greatly boosted Andy self confidence in beating Fed. 

Having said that, I think Fed's form is dangerous this year so I was pleased to see Andy practising S&V against Brown yesterday.  This will come in useful against both Nadal and Fed in later rounds.

[Philip]

Interesting point.

With Andy draw, he gets into a nice routine where he plays for one day then rest for one day until the SF.

Unlikely the AO, the "good" thing about the USO is the Super Saturday where the SF and Final are played back to back leaving almost no time to think.

[The Cosmic Entity]

US Open 2010: Andy Murray 'not good enough' to win grand slam title

Andy Murray is currently “not good enough” to win a grand slam title, according to former world No 1 Mats Wilander.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/andymurray/7982789/US-Open-2010-Andy-Murray-not-good-enough-to-win-grand-slam-title.html

The seven-time grand slam winner has said the British No 1 is still a couple of years away from fulfilling his potential and becoming the finished article.
Murray 's hopes of a maiden grand slam success were dashed in the US Open with a third-round defeat to Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka.

Wilander believes Murray needs to attack his opponents’ weaknesses to make it to the top. The Swede, who works as a commentator and presenter for Eurosport, told Telegraph Sport: “I’m not surprised he is yet to win a grand slam. He’s not good enough to win one yet - at least what he’s shown so far he’s not good enough.

“He is improving but he’s not anywhere near to being the finished product and he’s not anywhere close to being as good as he can and will become.”
Wilander, who won the US Open in 1988 believes Murray has most of the attributes to succeed but that the 23 year-old needs to become more of an opportunist player and seize the moment.

“At the moment he’s not controlling the outcome of the match," he said. "That’s not something which players like Roger Federer, Pete Sampras or Andre Agassi had to deal with much, they were able to win a match on their own terms and I think Murray needs to learn to attack a player’s weakness with his own weapons.
“He has to learn how to do this over the next couple of years before he can realise how good he can be.”
As for Federer, who joined forces with coach Paul Annacone in the lead up to the US Open, Wilander believes the 29 year-old's willingness to accept change will ensure he adds to his 17 grand slam titles.

He said: "I think he has more titles still in him, as long as he’s willing to change his game slightly which he’s doing right now, trying to be more aggressive and shorten the points.

"As long as he’s open to the idea of evolution in his game then definitely. He knows he’s not perfect and it’s all about the process of change."