So that obviously means Djokovic's career is over, he couldn't even win a match against a guy who's never made the top 20.

The typical anti-Murray response you get here.

Most people that have posted here need to get a life. Or at least realise that...."hey, we have a Brit - a Scotsman who is Number 3 in the World!!!! Hello!!!!!!?? Some people actually questioned the future career of Murray because he lost to Soderling!!! ??? Pull your heads in. Every tournamnet that Andy enters, I am in raptures at the possibility of him doing well, of him maybe getting a long way, wow, he could even win it. Britain/Scotland may never see this likes again, believe me. Enjoy every moment. I do. Win or lose, Andy is fine by me!!

 

Common sense post shock!!!

If Andy had only ever reached a peak rank of #150, he still have been the best player Scotland ever produced.

I completely disagree with him. The only way Britain will ever return to the World Group (let alone stay there and deserve to be there) is when we have strength in depth. The only way we got there last time was because Murray and Henman were playing together. Other guys have to be given a chance to come through. Also, why should the world number 4 jeopardise his season and risk injury for some shitpot little match against Outer Mongolia or whoever they play next? There are priorities and a Davis Cup side with just one player who can wield a racket at world class level is nowhere near the top of the list.

Steps off soapbox.

Even with Henman and Rusedski Britain failed to win a single round in the World Group. Britain should have got close to winning it under Henman/Rusedski so for Lloyd to blame recent failings on Murray rather than looking inwards is rich to say the least.

He was happy to take the LTA dollar when it suited him and is only speaking out from the safety of the sidelines.

(=8

boogers, yep Andy 1-0 already, I take it you predicted Seppi would win (=8

Being objective and realistic does not mean that you are not a fan.  I refuse to be sycophant.  You can still support your man, even if you appreciate that he might not be all you want him to be.  

That's my point.

How many times has Andy lost to someone outside the top 50 in two years?

Now ask yourself about not meeting the challenge of being favourite, and only being happy as the underdog.

Then I ask ppl to be more realistic and objective...

Why would anyone in their right mind bother their arse if they weren't?  Pretty sad if they did....

I agree 100%

The question is, whether some of the ppl on here are real Murray fans

I wonder why alot people on this forum seem to think andy will find it tough when facing lower ranked players but are confident he will win facing anyone in the top 10 or 20, including fed, people were pretty confident he'd beat in the AO open.

Because a lot of ppl on here actually like seeing him lose, for some reason. Find any excuse, that kind of thing.

He hardly loses to any guys, at all, let alone lower ranked guys, so ppl's fear/malice has no evidence to feed on.

Straight sets for Andy Murray no problem.

The only negative in the article is that Petchey behaved Baker-like (when Greg Rusedski arrived over here and took the limelight away from Petchey & Bates who've both since done very well from UK Tennis) and he wasn't prepared to admit that.

However that's no criticism of the remainder of the content which is by and large, spot on.

Great post on the subject by Neil Harman, easily the best Tennis journalist in the country. Great comments too, mostly.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/tennis/article7055699.ece

Not that his advice will be heeded, most unfortunate. As the LTA would say, he has his strengths and we have ours.

And tennis IS an elitist sport here - elitist, as in it costs a bloody arm and a leg to be any good at it. My two daughters are both county-ranked. They have one squad lesson and one individual lesson (when I can afford it) a week. This costs me in the region of £150 a month.

If I was REALLY serious about them making it, I'd have to shell out for five hours' indoor coaching a day each - that's about £1000 a week for the pair of them.

At the indoor centre, I ship up once a week in my little car and park next to Porsches and massive 4 x 4s driven by stuck-up mums who have money to burn and nothing better to do with their time than cart Oliver or Henrietta off to coaching and tournaments seven days a week. One 8-y-o kid I know got a knock-up with Djokovic in Monte Carlo. It's a different world.

Not an elitist sport? Don't make me laugh.

Which is why the solution is to make it harder for the 'hello-hooray' types to be in the same stadium as the duke and duchess of kent, by placing the importance on bringing kids through the club system. This will cut the costs for kids who are good as they'll be sponsored at an early age, and the success of the club depends on these youngsters doing well. The clubs by very nature of being forced to become competitive will try and cherry-pick the best kids and the best coaches, heaven knows they may even talent spot within the state school system.

If the club does well in bringing through kids then the Eton set can have their day pretending to rub shoulders with royalty.

That said, sacking Draper only substitutes one numpty for another. No real point in changing heads when the real problem is the 'Department of Tennis Affairs' (sorry the Lawn Tennis Association).

The BBC must be really cutting back these days, normally this is their pre-Eurovision jaunt out to Eastern Europe and bringing half the Foreign Office with them.

Turkey have a guy on the verge of the top 100. Fortunately he looks crap on fast surfaces but so are our players and we play on it all of the time.