Andy Murray: does he have what it takes?

With the French open underway, every top ranked tennis player will have their full concentration on winning at the Roland Garros stadium. However one would assume Andy Murray has one eye on the upcoming and eagerly anticipated Wimbledon championship.  After reaching the semi-finals last year, he equalled previous British hopeful Tim Henman’s personal best achievement at the tournament. At only twenty five many are hoping Murray may have what it takes to secure the title at some point in his career.

Although this may still be the case, many would also have thought that he may have already established a grand slam victory at this stage in his career. The world number one and two, Novak Djokivic and Rafa Nadal who are all the same ages as Murray have won several grand slam victories. Murray was knocked out by Nadal last year despite taking the first set and even after winning the queens title against Jo-Wilfred Tsonga.

Murray certainly has the ability and a strong versatile game suited to grass court play and has a good work ethic on and off the court. However He also seems to struggle on the business end of a tournament. Since 2008, Murray has lost in eight different finals or semi-finals of grand slams, with almost every one against opposition he has beaten before.  This seems to be following a very traditional British tennis pattern of bottling it at the wrong time. One can only hope he can develop the mental strength and to get that bit of luck all good champions require to secure a grand slam victory soon and once he’s got one I wouldn’t be surprised if the flood gates began to open.

Andy Murray Practice 2012 BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells HD

Video Rating: 5 / five

ANDY MURRAY – UNSTOPPABLE ||HD||

Video Ranking: four / five

MURRAY MAKES THE FINAL

British tennis player Andy Murray will take on world number one Novak Djokovic in the Final of the Sony Ericsson Open or the Miami Masters after getting a walkover to the Final when his Semi Final opponent, Spanish tennis ace Rafael Nadal had to withdraw due to a knee injury. The Djoker defeated Juan Monaco 6-0, 7-6 in the other Semi Final match to set up another meeting with Murray, their 13^th career meeting and second in 4 years in the Final of the Miami Masters where he was beaten by the Scotsman in 2009.

Due to the injury sustained by Nadal, Murray was left extremely disappointed at not being able to work and test out the plans that he and his coach Ivan Lendl had worked on throughout the last couple of months. He also received a walkover in the third round of the Miami Masters when Milos Raonic pulled out of the match and this means that the final against Djokovic will only be the 4^th match that Andy Murray has played in the entire competition.

According to Murray, he had been working with his coach Lendl on some plans that had been specifically devised for the top three of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer and he would have loved to work on them in the match against Nadal. Murray, who has dropped only one set on his way to the final, however, doesn’t believe that he will be behind Djokovic in the match considering that he is the fresher of the two.

Andy Murray did mention his win against The Djoker at the Miami Masters in 2009 but was quick to point out that both of them were young at that time and now, it will be an all different ball game in the Final.

Nottingham Masters 2009

Video Rating: 5 / five

Laura Robson rapping I Like Big Butts

Video clip Score: four / five