Is The Big Yin Andy Murray's lucky mascot?

I’ve given Andy Murray a hard time on quite a few occasions (and here and here!), but I’ve never once said he doesn’t have the talent to be a winner. I’ve questioned his bottle, his mentality, his attitude and I don’t like his dour demeanour, his apparent inability to smile or laugh or the way he looks. But I simply cannot fault his talent.

When on form, in the mood and confident, Murray can match and beat the best – or Federer and Nadal as they like to be called. He is a joy to be watch when his stars align, a fact that one of my heroes underlined on BBC Radio Five Live the other day when he called him a “genius”. None other than Scottish comedian Billy Connolly was on hand to see Murray destroy Jurgen Melzer in straight sets and said afterwards:

“That was great. I’ll be back for the final when he gets there, although I’ve got work to do. I don’t know what’s going to happen in this tournament, it keeps surprising me. My dream match would have been to watch Andy play Lleyton Hewitt because I think Lleyton’s amazing, I love his courageous heart, what he stands for.”

Despite my sometimes harsh words regarding Murray, his run up to this point, not least the 6-3, 6-1,6-1 thrashing of Melzer, has been ruthless. He looks like a man on a mission and I do believe he could go all the way here this year.

The shock defeat of Robin Soderling by Ukranian Alexandr Dolgopolov, Murray’s next opponent, only strengthens that belief. Sure, there’s a niggle in the back of my mind that following such an amazing performance the Scot tends to fall apart against lesser opposition and it is true that I wouldn’t be in the least bit surprised if that happens in the quarters against Dolgopolov but I’m going to have faith this time.

Something looks different. Murray looks different. Yes, 2011 could be his year and the Australian Open his first Grand Slam. I just wish he’d look a bit bloody happier about it!

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As everyone will know, the dominant Williams sisters have done it again, this time through Serena, and Rafael Nadal has picked up his second Wimbledon title, beating Thomas Berdych in straight sets. Good for them, they are the top players in tennis at the moment and likely for many years to come.

It is perhaps unfortunate for Murray that he has to have his career at the same time as Nadal and Federer (perhaps the best male player ever). But then, Tim Henman had to play at the same time as Pete Sampras. Tough luck, raise your game.

Except they can’t. Murray is a consummate tennis player. I take nothing away from his abilities on the court. He is far and away the best player Britain has had in a long, long time. Better than Henman and certainly better than the faux Brit we hung our hats on in Greg Rusedski.

But he is not and never will be in the elite class that features Nadal, Federer, Sampras et al. Why? For the same reason the England football team will never win a major championship in my life time.

Having the skills is one thing, having the belief is another. I’m sorry to keep banging on about it, but British people have a defeatist attitude. Not all of us, but most of us and especially those of us right smack bang in the middle of the media spotlight. Fear of failure dominates us.

How else do you explain Murray’s ease in reaching the semi finals only to come up against his nemesis Nadal and, frankly, crumble? He played well in the semi final but Nadal was simply better. Yet not at any point did you think Murray, despite all his protestations to the opposite, really BELIEVED he could beat the Spaniard.

There’s something about Murray I like. He has this attitude, this way of speaking, this way of handling defeat in a manner that suggests he wants to learn from it, better himself, fix what went wrong and go one better next time. But when he gets on to the grass at Wimbledon with the world’s best facing him over the net, it all goes out of the window.

It’s curious that Murray has beaten Nadal at a major before but still carries that fear with him. That Great British defeatist attitude is not so easily overcome it seems.

Murray-mania will raise its ugly head this time next year and, unless both Nadal and Federer are knocked out before he has to meet them, Murray will disappoint us again.

I sincerely hope he does win a major. His talent deserves it. His best chance has to be the US Open. But here at home on the green, green grass of SW19 I never see it happening.

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All British eyes will, of course, be on Andy Murray as we look for a first male British winner since Fred Perry in 1936. Does he have a chance?

No, of course not. Especially this year as his form and, seemingly, mental attitude has been appalling since he reached the final of the Australian Open. On the clay surface he has suffered defeats in early rounds and even though the switch to grass at Wimbledon it looks to me like his confidence has been shot to pieces, despite his public denials that this is the case.

That grass is Murray’s favourite surface is somewhat misleading anyway. 12 of his 14 titles have been won on hard courts, only one having been won on the green stuff. His semi final appearance in last year’s tournament was the best he has achieved at Wimbledon, though he will point out it has been steady progress from his third round, fourth round and quarter final losses in previous years.

We’d all like Murray to pick up a first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon but much like Henman before him, I don’t think he has what it takes to ever win one, let alone under the incredible pressure he is always under at this tournament. No amount of screaming or showing off of biceps will change my mind.

The form man going into Wimbledon is without doubt Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard’s fifth French Open title was won just a couple of weeks ago. You can’t count out Roger Federer either, winner of this tournament on six occasions, including last year. His star has fallen somewhat, having won only one title so far this year, albeit the Australian Open in which he defeated Murray.

There are, of course, a few others to consider. Robin Soderling and Juan Martín del Potro to name just two. But those of you hanging your hopes on Murray will be disappointed and probably quite early on in Wimbledon’s fortnight. . At least you’ll have the World Cup to cheer you up. Or maybe not…

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La Liga: Barcelona versus Real Madrid

‘El Clasico’ takes place at the Camp Nou on Sunday. In the UK you can watch the first half of the match via the red button on Sky Sports One from 6pm. Second half coverage is on the same channel normally from 7pm. Ridiculous, right?

The same game last year resulted in a 2-0 victory for the Catalan side, then a humiliating game at Madrid saw Barcelona triumph 6-2. Real, therefore, will be out for revenge, especially in Barcelona. Fireworks, for sure.

Rating: Don’t miss it!

EPL: Arsenal versus Chelsea

Live on Sky Sports One from 3.30pm on Sunday, this game will have a massive impact on the Premier League. It could give Arsenal hope of actually winning it should they win but if Chelsea triumph it will make it very difficult for both Arsenal AND Manchester United to catch them.

Sadly, games of this kind are rarely a spectacle and often settled by the odd goal.

Rating: Something to watch before ‘El Clasico’.

EPL: Everton versus Liverpool

Sky Sports One, 1.30pm, Sunday. The Scouse derby is one always eagerly anticipated and this year it means much more than city pride and bragging rights. A defeat for Liverpool puts their 2010 Champions League credentials in serious doubt, while a victory for the Toffees gives them hope of a European spot themselves.

Should be feisty as normal. With Liverpool missing some key players and Everton welcoming back a couple of their best, perhaps the most evenly matched derby in years. Though on derby day, as everyone knows, that counts for nothing.

Rating: Fire up your Sunday afternoon early with this one.

NFL: New Orleans Saints versus New England Patriots

Annoyingly, no Monday Night Football in the UK this season, so nowhere to watch this, but the match up between Tom Brady (Pats) and Drew Brees (Saints) is one we love. If you can find it on the internet somewhere then we highly recommend you do.

The Pats are an impressive 7-3 for the season so far but, oh dear, the Saints are an unbeaten 10-0! However, the Pats have only ever lost once in the Saints’ Superdome, winning five times, so this should be one hell of a match up no matter what.

Rating: Take the time to find it online if you can!

NHL: Anaheim Ducks versus Chicago Blackhawks

We can’t find it on ESPN anywhere, though you’ll get it on the highlights shows no doubt. Why this one in a packed NHL schedule this weekend? Because the Blackhawks look like the best team out there right now, while the Ducks look to be one of the worst (along with your writer’s chosen Maple Leafs, sadly). The former is on an eight game winning streak and we want to know if they will make it nine.

However, the Ducks are improving – two wins in a row, could they possibly make it three against the League’s form team? Nah, probably not, but it’ll be fun finding out!

Rating: If you stumble across it, watch it.

Tennis: ATP World Tour Finals Final

Live on Sky Sports Three from 12.30pm (men’s singles final won’t start until at least 1.30pm) on Sunday, the final of the last men’s event in the tennis season promises to be a classic. Played at the O2 in London on indoor hard courts, we don’t yet know who the protagonists will be but with the likes of Federer, Del Potro and Soderling already through we think it’ll be well worth watching.

The last spot in the semis will be decided today and will go to either Davydenko or Djokovic – what more do you want? You can watch the semi finals on Sky tomorrow as well, so if tennis is your thing, then the ATP World Tour Finals are for you all weekend!

Rating: Game, set and match for this one. Classic.

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Murray celebrates a point on clay

The Last King of Scotland. That was how the Daily Mirror so inaccurately described Andy Murray (@andy_murray) earlier this week. Ever one to play on words with no real thought behind them, the Mirror has nevertheless raised an interesting question: will Murray ever rise to the pinnacle of the men’s game and be crowned the real king of tennis?

Knocked out of the ATP World Tour Finals last night, Murray will likely finish the year ranked fourth by the ATP, behind World Number 1 Roger Federer, Raphael Nadal and the very impressive and much improved Novak Djokovic.

Murray’s failure to reach the semi finals of the end of year tournament is key to discussing his chances of taking Federer’s number one spot.

You could look at the fact that he was knocked out by one game thanks to Juan Martin del Potro’s surprise defeat of Federer in the group stage. Murray, after all, had defeated Fernando Verdasco earlier in the day at the O2 and had taken Federer to three sets in his previous match. Leaving Verdasco to on side, the remaning three men ended with a 2-1 match record and the same sets record, but Federer won the group with a better games won percentage record (44-40), while Del Potro (45-43) edged Murray (44-43) out of the tournament.

Unlucky, right? Perhaps. In fact, if we’re fair, probably.

The Scot has had a fantastic season, ranking number two in August, the first time in four years that anyone other than Federer or Nadal were in the top two. His win/loss record reads 64/10 and he has bagged six titles this year bringing his total to 14, amassing over $3 million in prize money ($9m in his career). He is, without doubt, one of the best players in the world.

A closer look at the true barometer of tennis greats, however, and the Murray story is less convincing. Like Henman before him and like so many solo sport Brits, when it comes to the crunch there is  a mental weakness that prevents him from winning a major tournament.

At the Australian Open he was knocked out in the fourth round. On clay, where he has enjoyed huge success in 2009, he could only manage a quarter final finish at the French Open. Back in the UK at Wimbledon, the pinnacle of professional tennis, he was knocked out in the semi final by a resurgent Andy Roddick – this though, was a hint that Murray DOES have the skills necessary to capture a Grand Slam tournament. Finally, at the US Open he was disappointingly knocked out in the fourth round after reaching the final the previous year.

All this raises the question – does he have what it takes mentally to really be crowned the king of tennis? Sporting Fare will happily concede that Murray’s God-given talents and the skills he has developed in his own right are right up there with the Federers and the Nadals. AND we want to believe that he will one day be Number One and winning Grand Slam titles.

But we don’t. The same fear of success and lack of true self belief that we saw in Henman we also see in Murray. The same inability to finish an opponent off when he’s at Murray’s mercy is there, leading to five set games when they should be three sets. That in itself will take its toll as he gets older and with every passing year his chances of topping the rankings diminish. No, unless Nadal and Federer retire and no new blood comes through, we just can’t see Andy becoming king of tennis – let alone king of Scotland, last or not.

Do you agree? Or can you see something in the Scot we don’t? Let us know in the comments.

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The question now is whether he should be punished after the event or not. The answer, surely, is no.

What good would it serve? A warning to current and future tennis stars about the dangers of drugs? Hardly. The ATP have since then cleaned up their act, we are told and Agassi is long retired.

Taking crystal meth is hardly performance enhancing so from that point of view alone there’s no charge to answer. Professional sportsmen cannot, of course, be seen to be endorsing recreational drug use either and the general consensus is to punish anyone caught doing it. Sporting Fare isn’t so sure that is the correct way of going about things, however.

Taking performance enhancing drugs is rightly punished by the sport in question’s governing body and it should remain that way. That same body punishing the use of recreational – and illegal – drugs doesn’t seem quite right. No, that should be punished by the law and the legal system. When a sportsman is caught with cocaine in their system, have them brought up on charges of at least possession. But let the sport body stay out of it. That’s our admittedly controversial view at least.

Which brings us back to Agassi. Can he be charged with possession and use of crystal meth 12 years after the fact? Doubtful. His frank admission has shed light on certain issues that need addressing – not least the lack of action from the ATP at the time – but to punish him now would be ridiculous.

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