Can I just go off topic and say if you haven't read Agassi's biography, please do.  It's absolutely extraordinary and certainly the most fascinating tennis book I've ever read.
A very complex man is Mr Agassi.

yup, and under a fiver! http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lion-Called-Christian-DVD/dp/B0021L9IJ0/ref=pd_bxgy_d_h__img_b



There you go barry, two cards of Shredder. Both of them look better than the scanned images, the second ones 3D but it doesnt really show up while the scan of the first one is really poor, no idea why.

Daisy, I've had dogs all my life and I never knew that! Interesting...By the way, if you've never seen the vid. of'Christian the Lion', Google it! Amazing true story.....I cry every time!

OMG, I watched all of the 75 minutes of it when it first went viral ( about 3 years ago). I cried so much I ran out of tissues. Absolutely amazingly touching.

I've fallen in love with evey dog on this thead so far. soooo broody.

What's his/her name, david?



Just making a couple of cards of Shredder, barry. I'll put them up when they're done.

Great post and keenly obseved PT. think you've probably hit the snail on the tail!

Does nobody nderstand the huge mental pressure involved in tennis? It drains you far more than the physical and is the ultmate factor in whether you're a champion or not.

Tennis is one of the most demanding sports there is as Elly says, he'll do what he wants and listen to his body,

ROTFL  @ anyone who thinks money is his driving force. He'd probably pay the tournament directors if it guaranteed a GS title. I think its sheer ambition and dreams. Like becoming No1. he wont get there but if he'd been around in the early 2000s he probably would be, Hewitt and Roddick werent better. But tennis has changed, the all round game has changed, much, much tougher now, apart from the dominance of the 2Rs which isnt over yet.

Im getting very broody, all these adorable canines

Funny, I never get broody when I look at babies

I think every red blooded male would agree with you, babs, Shes a complete stunner.

Although I'm an old wrinkly, I think Andy has a real sense of fun and would be a great boyfriend/husband. Still waters run deep as they say, and just because it's not on show every press conference, doesn't mean he hasnt a great personality and character.

What do we want, bloody Wayne Rooney? EWK!

Awwwww. He's bootiful. I want one!

Here's No 1 hound doing his "Aren't I adorable?" pose. He stays like that for hours!!!

I love Westies. I thought No 1 hound was a Westie, as I got him from a farm and just heard "terrier" until I saw him.

I learned just why JRs have such a reputation for being sods,

Fortunately Raffa doesnt take after him, he is, like his namesake, a complete and utter sweetie, although he is as stubborn as hell.

The top-ranked male player in my country is ranked 30-something in the world, and he is treated very well in our media, even though he has  gone out twice in a row in the first round of a GS since last year.

The British media is just really hard for me to understand...

Maybe its better to have less expectations?

Stupid isn't it? I'm British and I just dont get the British psyche

Paradorn Srichaphan is nigh on a god in Thailand, even though he's retired now and never won a major or a Masters Hes the best tennis player to come from their country. Simples.

Pity people cant back Andy as the best player this nation has produced.

Good article Aileen thanks for linking it. A voice of reason in the clamour of drivel Ive heard since Sunday.

Okie Dokie. I'm in the middle of an order for Art Deco cards, but will do Shredder straight after!

LOL Not at all, they dont belong on here!

[They are very much fair weather friends.Thank goodness for the die hards who believe he will do it.]

This is pretty typical of a lot of so called fans on this site.They are very much fair weather friends.Thank goodness for the die hards who believe he will do it.
And he will.

    I'm only on the first page of this thread- too disappointed to read until now, but this attitude is cropping up a lot from new posters and it's annoying the living crap out of me.

What you need to remember is that this site has been going for 51/2 years. Many of us have been here all that time. even stayed up in the middle of the night watching some obscure Challenger scoreboard, no pics. We've cheered as he rose through the rankings, groaned as his teenage self and temper tantrums appeared. watched his permutations with coaches, wept at his wrist injury. And railed at games like Fed at the O2 and, to a lesser degree, against Novak on Sunday

What we are not is a group of sycophantic," everything is wonderful, oh Andy you are so great" groupies. A lot of us play/have played the game and are pretty good with our knowledge of tennis.

If you want a fan site then join Andy Murray.com. Thankfully Murraysworld has room and balls enough to allow criticism of him. He is flawed, very flawed when it comes to Slam finals it seems- aspects of his game need work-second serve, Body language, aggressive attitude. Why ignore them? This is a discussion board. It's what we do.

So, please dont insult people who are probably just as upset that his GS record is not great. I happen to still believe he will win one, but certain things have to change. Above all, dont knock people who care passionately about Andy Murray's tennis career ( hes the best player we've ever had) even if he NEVER win a slam. Believe me, I've been watching tennis for over half a century which makes me wise, not doddery

So, welcome all new posters, but keep the insults about other people's point of view until you know them better, OK?