TENNIS
MURRAY ON TOP TABLE NOW SAYS RUSEDSKI
TOUGH GOING: Nadal hailed Murray's aggressive tennis in their epic semi-final
By Gideon Brooks in New York
THE ‘big three’ has officially become four at the US Open with Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic all conceding they have been forced to reserve a permanent spot at the top table for Andy Murray after his run through the draw.
But Greg Rusedski, the last British man to reach a Grand Slam final, said Murray is equipped not only to leave behind all the exploits of both himself and Tim Henman, but to scale the highest peak in the game.
Murray’s run in New York has brought back echoes of Rusedski’s career highlight when he made his only final appearance in 1997, losing to Pat Rafter. It was a feat that took him to No4 in the world in October of that year.
Henman, too, reached that same high-water mark in a 13-year career that saw him stall no fewer than six times at the semi-final stage of Slams, including Flushing Meadows in 2004.
But while the figures might indicate parity, Rusedski yesterday said that for Murray, the sky is the limit and insisted that he can chase down one of his big rivals – if not all of them.
“I feel that Andy will do much more than myself and Tim Henman did in our careers because neither of us had been in the top 10 at 19 years of age like he was,” said Rusedski, who has been commentating on the US Open for Sky Sports.
“Everybody who has been in the top 10 under 20 has gone on to win a Grand Slam. Even Goran Ivanisevic, who was a late developer, still did it at 29. So there is no doubt that the future for Andy is more Grand Slam finals.
“The only question mark in my mind would be if he stays healthy. At 27, Federer is not going to be at the top for that much longer – he’s already down to No2 in the world – and you have to imagine he might have another three years before he starts going down. That is the natural course.
“Then there is Rafa, who is just 22 and the top man, but I wonder how long he can continue at his level. My prediction is that Djokovic, who is about the same age as Andy, is most likely going to be his partner, going back and forth at the top for the next few years.”
Rusedski has been impressed with Murray’s improvement over the course of the summer. After his comeback against Richard Gasquet in the fourth round of Wimbledon, he was humbled by Nadal in straight sets in the
quarter-final.
Yet in just two months, as the American hard-court season has unfolded, Murray has managed to effect a shift in the balance of power. Nadal, who took over at the top from Federer in August, admitted he came into the US Open tired after a long season. But he graciously added that there is no doubt Murray has edged his way into the top four on merit.
“Andy is there with Roger, me and Djokovic. His ranking is right now No4 in the world, so he’s there all right,” said Spaniard Nadal.
“He doesn’t need to be closer to be with us. There is nothing he cannot do [in the game] and he has a lot of
potential because he serves well and has a very good talent. When he is playing aggressively he can beat
everybody.”
The change in Murray this year has most noticeably been physical. His work with fitness trainers Jez Green, Matty Little and physio Andy Ireland has paid dividends, especially in longer matches.
But his tennis work with Miles Maclagan and Louis Cayer also seems to have made him a better thinker. His matches against Juan Martin del Potro in the quarter-final and against Nadal in the semi-final were as much won with the mind as they were with racket and muscles.
It is this part of his game that has most impressed Rusedski. “Mentally he has become so much stronger. We can all see that physically he has done the hard work, but mentally he believes now,” he said.
“He will be No4 in the world when he leaves New York, but he is only going to get better and better. This is the level of tennis and competition that he has been living for and, now he has arrived, he is not going to go away.”
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