Adam Davies
Sport News 24/7John McEnroe advice could be Andy Murray's ticket for Wimbledon title bid
By Adam Davies, on 16th June 2010, 10:33 UTC
American tennis ace John McEnroe has long been a fan of British number one Andy Murray, and retains faith that he could become the first player from these shores to win a Grand Slam title since Fred Perry in 1936.
McEnroe is now a regular on the seniors circuit and a media commentator, and having won seven majors in his stellar career is well placed to give advice to Murray. He believes the Scot should cut speed from his first serve in order to increase accuracy, for although when it fires it is a potent weapon, the percentage is lower than many of the other top players.
He told the Independent that national pressure from the British public is affecting Murray's game; as is disappointment for not showing his best form in the Australian Open final in January. While Murray's intense training got him to a high of number 2 in the world, McEnroe indicated that better time management of his regime will prevent burnout. In the 2009 US Open, Murray appeared to be running on empty when he faced Croatian star Marin Cilic in the 4th round.
Finally, McEnroe hinted that he knew of a change in Murray's court mentality. For a long time, Murray has played a counter-punching style; his movement and court artistry have long frustrated opponents into errors. McEnroe said he had heard of a move to a more aggressive game just inside the baseline - akin to Nikolay Davydenko, and this could prove a big step towards Andy Murray's first Grand Slam title.
Wimbledon tickets are currently on sale for all courts on each day of the tournament, and having gone a round further each year he has played at SW19, Murray ought to be a certainty for the final. He will be seeded four for the biggest grass competition in tennis, meaning that he can only face Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal in the semi-final - should each of them get there.
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