Wimbledon 2011

Again Andy Murray has drawn the short straw in a Slam *Pick*

And don't give me the usual spiel of Rafa/Ferderer is harder . HA!

WHEN is a Brit going to get a break at Wimbledon?
Strikes me the last time was Rod Laver.

A well known saying (to us wrestling fans anyways) comes to mind Yummy.

"To be the man, you have to beat the man"

Im sure his time will come, whether it be this year or in the future.

Yummy, despite being the second seed, Nole's got it harder than Murray....THAT SUCKS !!!!!

Well Nole sounds like a dog on heat if he has it harder!

Who wants Murray to get to the final anyway? It would just be a boring 3 setter

The Murray fans perhaps boromir?

Boromir, stop impersonating and tarnishing the name of BBC 606's Boromir7.

boromir pm for you.

I don't see how murray's draw is tougher than Novak. Chardy and flame throwing Kevin Anderson are pretty difficult round 1 and 2 opponents in the first two rounds of a grandslam and novak only has to go through the greatest grass court player ever not named Pete Sampras to get to the final.

The order of play is out for 20th June, and here it is:

Click Here

Looking forward to Wimbledon and think Novak or Federer will win the tournament.

Im surprised that Venus is not scheduled on Centre or Court No.1

I don't get this! Murray has got a great draw. He has to play one of the top two seeds in the semi's but as the number four seed that is to be expected. Would it really have been any better if he was drawn to play Djokovic? Djokovic destroyed him when they last played in a slam.

In Australia Murray had a great draw and for him it turned into a dream draw when Nadal went out before the semi. In the FO upto the semi's he had the easiest route I can ever remember in a slam.

Murray has also got a great advantage playing at Wimbledon. He will always play at roughly the same time on the only covererd court (I believe its going to rain a bit next week). Why are Murray fans so unhappy?

Mark, could very well see Fed win this thing, I think he has a swan song left in him at wimby and he is looking like he has changed tactics to get a little bit more aggressive, to attack with his backhand and get into net more.

Agree with hawkeye there Murray had a cakewalk draw in both the AO and FO. David Ferrer in the AO semi, come on, no offense to David but hardly very tough. What I have noticed is that virtually every grandslam the british media howl about how tough Andy Murray's draw is.

Every fan socal harps on about their fav players draw. I hear people moaning about Djokovic's draw which is simple compare to Nadal's draw. It is opinion based.

I can't wait to see how the courts play.

I think Murray's draw is fairly tough, but it could have been worse. The first 2 rounds should be fairly comfortable. I worry about him facing Wawrinka though, he really pushed him in their only previous Wimbledon match and knocked him out in New York. He seems to know how to play him. Could be a tight one.

Roddick could be tough, but after the pasting Murray gave him the other week I fancy Murray to come through that. Then it would be Nadal, and I'm actually pleased that he has got Nadal. Rafa has been given quite a tough draw, and Nadal is the only one of the top guys that Murray has beaten in slams.

In fact, Murray is the only member of the top 4 to have have beaten Rafa in a slam in the last three years... Quite a stat that, eh? On the other side of the draw I strongly fancy Federer to come through. He seems to have drawn quite a few clay specialists, and looks very confident right now.

So a Murray v Federer final for me.

Hey Dan, welcome, I agree Murray could provide a real challenge to Nadal, I remember watching last year and they were 3 tight sets @ Wimbledon. If Murray takes a set off Nadal, then it gets interesting, because players like Hasse or Petzschner taking sets off Nadal like last year doesn't worry anyone because you know they'll run out of steam and they always do. Murray can and does go to toe to toe with Nadal which makes for a real challenge (if they make it).

If it was a Murray v Federer final though, can't see Murray winning that but they've never played each other on grass, so you never know.

Hi lucius, yeah if he did reach the final and Federer was waiting for him then it would be tough to imagine Murray taking it. But that would be based on their 2 previous final encounters, and as Lendl will tell anyone the past doesn't always write the future.

Murray at his best could beat anyone, I think everyone accepts that. He's been unable to produce his best in the finals and I always thought it would be more unlikely for him to do so at his home slam. But maybe it would be the exact opposite, maybe the home support would drag him through?

We won't know if Murray now has the mentality to produce his best in a slam final until he gets to one again. It might be that he's matured or that Cahill has made the minor tweeks (mental or technical) that can get him over the line. I personally think he just needs a set in a slam final and he'll be flying.

I think it's a really tight one to call though. Can't wait for it to start.

3rd on Centre Court tomorrow folks

ANDEE

Legend, for the record I am not gripping about Novak's draw, I am pointing out the fact that Roger always being put into Novak's half is very fishy. But that is for another thread. Murray's draw seems ok to me. Wawrinka is not a good grass court player. Roddick hasn't played well in a grandslam for some time. Personally, I think if Andy does make it to the final and Fed is waiting for him he will be in trouble. Fed on a grass court playing well enough to get to the final will probably be too much for Andy as Danny has pointed out. Personally, if Novak doesn't win it I hope Andy gets it. I really would like to see him join that grandslam club, plus if Andy does win then his good buddy Novak would be the number one player in the world the following monday. Come on Andy!!!!

I take comfort in the fact, no matter what the draw, that in Grand Slams (and in particular Wimby) anything can happen and often does.. so I just say to all fans of those who thing their "boy" has come up with the short straw... stick with it.. there will no doubt be some surprises in store. Fun ennit

I'm already surprised, anyone seen the pictures Rafa's put up on facebook (uploaded via an iPhone, is that the phone he has)? He's looks very down to earth and very normal, and more amazingly, he shops @ Tesco while he's here!

He looks so different than he is on court. On the plus side, he looks pretty relaxed and injury free so that's good for Wimbledon.

I agree Danny, it's the mental side of tennis Murray needs to work on, being able to bounce back from disappointment during a match. That's one regard Rafa's good with, he contains himself very well on court and gets on with the job, even when he loses a set.

Rafa´s Mother once said that she does not recognise her son when he is on court... he looks so different

Did she, that's interesting. The Rafa I see in TV interviews and in day to day life is the sort of guy who I really warm to, compared to the manner he shows on court.

I think lucius its because he is so focussed when he is on court.. he takes no prisoners and his aim is to win. I swear he wouldn´t care if he was playing his grandfather he would still want to win. So unlike the humble family man that his family and friends know him to be.

Tesco? Extensive research has uncovered the fact that he shops at Asda!

http://postimage.org/image/1sy916xhg/

One of my personal favourite, Asda does have better value! He also had a Tesco bag at his house in Wimbledon, he multi shops (like me and no doubt many others)!

I'm not sure if my facebook link will work but if you go to Rafa's page on facebook and to the penultimate picture on his wall photos, it's there.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150216216666026&set=a.456161351025.251362.64822581025&type=1&theater

Its fantastic isnt it... he loves cooking his own food .. which is mostly pasta and shell fish as I understand... he can invite me to dinner any time