Puzzled

First topic message reminder :

I am puzzled by posters views. We have those that say Andy Murray is poor on clay courts and say his clay court form last season was a freak or lucky according to one poster. However, the predictions for Monte Carlo and almost everyone tips Murray to at least get to the semi-finals and the odd one or two tip him for the final so how can this be the case if he is so useless on clay? Peculiar so which is it? Is he one of the top clay courters in the world or very poor. After all surely if poor on the surface he wouldn't be reaching even the quarters in Monte Carlo considering the quality field assembled.

It has been a strange post AO season so far for Murray. It is being said he has a back twinge and they are linking it to something he got in Dec 2011 - yet he had an excellent AO tournament, and he then beat Djokovic in a later tournament.

I am thinking along the lines of him pulling out of the FO and focusing on the grass season ahead ... just to clear his mind and to improve the health of his body. Maybe he has been overdoing it in the gym?

CaledonianCraig wrote:What an odd comment. Totally unrelated to the topic in hand.

Really CC? Now, I'm puzzled.

One minute Andy's saying it's all to play for with the no. 1 statues supposedly up for grabs over the next four months - if recent comments are to be believed. The next he's going on about his ongoing back problems , which as NS pointed out didn't seem to be an issue earlier on in thew year.

He seems to be going from one extreme to the other -building up his chances only to come out with yet more excuses when his previous claims come to nought. The reason I suggested he should both shut up and grow up is to let his tennis do the talking for him.

Back issues are intermittent things. Now he pulled out of Madrid so it is bothering himnenough. Also an interesting pointer is that three of four of his last four defeats I do believe have come when he has won the first set. Perhaps the back becomes an issue after a certain time of play - I don't know and neither does anyone else. Hopefully, not too serious an issue as we move into a key part of the season.

Why should he shut up? Should he not be aiming for number 1? When asked "what are your aspirations for the next 4 months?" should he lie? Answer "no comment"? If his back is troubling him, why should he shut up about it? That would make him the only tennis player to conceal his injuries!

Murray has had a tepid clay season so far, as I thought he would. he'll be back challenging for the big prizes from Wimbledon onwards. No need for any shutting up or growing up.

Danny_1882 let's see then how the summer transpires. If it proves to be more of a niggling back injury and he can get to the sort of form he showed last summer then yes he's in with a shout. The way both Novak and Roger have been playing though plus a bruised Rafa mean it'll take something special if he is to break his slam duck or win an Olympics gold - that's why i said his tennis should do his talking.

Personally I doubt he has what it takes but it would be nice to be proved wrong.

From Murray I want to see less jaw jaw and more war war.