Andy Murray: the summer’s real British winner?
The streets of south-west London will once again feel the beat of expectant feet, as Wimbledon gets under way. And you know what that means: Murray Mania, writes Sports Reporter Jordan Jarrett-Bryan.
The stat about it being 77 years since a Brit has won the grand slam on our own turf will haunt the Scottish, I mean British, number one for the duration of the two weeks.
Andy Murray will take the pressure of the nation, in attempting to deliver the trophy the country so desperately craves. Let’s be honest, we’ve won the Ashes, Formula One World Championships, Rugby World Cup and even our useless football team have won the World Cup in the time since Fred Perry claimed Wimbledon back in 1936.
But with Justin Rose’s success last week in golf at the US Open, England’s possible win in the final of the Cricket ICC Trophy this weekend and the British Lions holding their own on tour in the rugby, you can’t help but think that adds to the pressure on the Brit (I mean Scot).
Pressure off
At least this time he goes into Wimbledon having won a grand slam. Lifting the US Open last summer has, believe it or not, taken a lot of pressure off his shoulders.
And he is higher in the world rankings than he was 12 months ago. So he is progressing, but with Murray being Britain’s best hope of winning in decades, he will always be judged on whether he wins the big one or not.
The draw for the competition has been made and considering he could have been given the near impossible task of having to beat Rafael Nadal, world number one Novak Djokovic and reigning champion and favourite Roger Federer, he can be relatively pleased.
Now he begins his quest for glory, taking on world number 95 Benjamin Becker in the first round on Monday. A clash with either Nadal or Federer at the semi final stage (should he get there) is likely.
Glorious failure
Will we regard the world number two, yes number two, as a failure if he doesn’t win the prestigious competition? Will Murray have let the nation down, if despite a successful summer of sport from our British athletes, he fails to end the 77 year wait?
Murray isn’t an athlete interested in glorious failure, so unfortunately like it or not, the answer should be yes.