World no.3 Andy Murray believes it's time time to break his Grand Slam duck.
He declared to his fans that he's ready for a fortnight of Murray-mania at SW19. “I'd obviously love to win here,” said the Scot.
“I enjoy playing on grass and I love playing at Wimbledon.“
“I feel like I'm ready to win a Grand Slam now, whereas last year I might not have been. But I understand how difficult it is. It's not an easy thing to do.”
Murray said he is frustrated that he will not get the chance to avenge last year’s quarterfinal defeat to Rafael Nadal. “I enjoy watching him play. He's my favourite player to watch, so I'm sure the fans wanted to come to see him will all be disappointed. But he's got to do what's best for him.”
Murray will start his Wimbledon campaign against American Robert Kendrick. But the Scot insists there will be no complacency, “I'm focusing totally on the first round, not looking past him at all. He's a tough grass‑court player. He has a big game. He plays very aggressive and takes a lot of chances. So, no, no chance of me underestimating him."
When asked what would a Wimbledon triumph mean for British tennis, Murray said, “It's been such a long time, and people have been waiting for it for - well, forever now. I'm sure it would be huge, huge news for quite a few weeks."
(Via Wimbledon official website; Image by AFP)
With Rafael Nadal forced to withdraw from the Wimbledon tennis tournament, Roger Federer is expected to retain the title he lost in an epic final against the Spaniard last year.
Unlike the French Open, this time Federer said he is sad for not able to play against the world no.1.
Federer said, "It (referring to Nadal's withdrawal) didn't come as such a big surprise to me, but it's obviously very disappointing for the tournament, and also for myself. It's a little bit similar to Paris — we played the last four years against each other in Paris, the last three years here at Wimbledon, so we won't see the same finals again."
"It's disappointing for me because I'd love to play him. He's my main rival and we've had some wonderful matches over the years, and especially the one here last year that obviously stands out. It just shows me how lucky I've been that I haven't been injured over all those years."
However it doesn't mean this Wimbledon is without any pressure.
Federer admits he felt the weight of history on his shoulders if his bid to break Pete Sampras's record for Grand Slam victories goes the distance at Wimbledon.
"The focus is on the first round and the first point," said Federer, whose match against Rendy Lu Yen-hsun is first on Centre Court on Monday, "but also trying to regain my Wimbledon crown, so that stands over trying to beat Pete's record right now."
"Once I come down to the semi-finals or finals, hopefully, then that's also going to start creeping into my mind, but right now, just trying to regain my Wimbledon crown would be a dream come true."
Federer could also be facing the biggest threat from Andy Murray. When asked about Murray, Federer said, "He's a very gifted player. He has wonderful feel, he's a great tactician — I always said that, and he's finally proved it."
"It took him some time, and that was the disappointing part. I expected him to do better a few years ago, but everything is coming together for him now and he's been rock solid for almost two years now."
"The [British] media seems be making something of our recent matches. When I lost to him in Shanghai [at the Masters Cup in November 2008], for example, I was ill and suffering with my back, and I still almost beat him, so I'm not about to say that he's the best player in the world all of a sudden."
Well, of course the only person who could claim to be the best player in the world is Federer himself.
(Via Wimbledon official website; Image by AELTC)
Rendy Lu Yen-hsun, the only Asian in the Wimbledon men's draw will play everyone's dream match on Monday.
C'mon, who doesn't want to play against Roger Federer, the newly-but not officially-crowned Greatest Of All Time?
Rendy will be making his Centre Court debut, but it will be his sixth Wimbledon where his best performances remain second round runs in 2004 and 2005.
Rendy who often dubbed as "the guy who beat Andy Murray at the 2008 Olympics" has beaten Federer in two sets during a practice match back in 2003. The score was 6-1, 6-3.
Wishing Rendy all the best!
(Via chinapost.com.tw; Image by mlkj24.pixnet.net)
Dmitry Tursunov became the first men’s champion at the Eastbourne International with a 6-3, 7-6 win over Canadian qualifier Frank Dancevic.
However he suffered an ankle injury and that could crush his Wimbledon hopes.
Meanwhile, in Den Bosch, the Netherlands, German qualifier Benjamin Becker won his first ATP title after beating Dutch wild card Raemon Sluiter 7-5, 6-3 at the Ordina Open.
Becker had beaten top-seeded Fernando Verdasco and no. 4 seed Rainer Schuettler on his way to the final.
(Images by Leon Neal/Robert Vos/AFP/Getty Images)
World no.3 Andy Murray believes it's time time to break his Grand Slam duck.
