Murray’s On-Court Conduct Has Improved

Written by: Staff on 19th January 2012

Murray’s On-Court Conduct Has Improved |

Andy Murray may be one of the feistier players to occupy the world’s top ten in the current game but he believes he is a relative choir boy compared to some of the rebels from days gone by. And the Scot firmly believes the likes of John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors and Ilie Nastase would have been defaulted from numerous matches if they played under today’s disciplinary regime.

Murray’s on-court behavior has been exemplary since Ivan Lendl moved into his coaching box four matches ago and there was not a peep of derision from the oft uncomplimentary 24 year-old during his impressive Australian Open second round win over Frenchman Edouard Roger-Vasellin.

“If they had the rules that they have in place now, it would be interesting to see what would happen to some of the older players with the things that they did,” said Murray. “I’d like to see the fines they would be racking up and they’d they’d be getting defaults left, right, and center.

“But I would like to see someone try the things that McEnroe would have now to see what would happen to them. I saw some clips of him yesterday; I think he was playing Anders Jarryd in Sweden, and he’s smashing bottles like into the stand and stuff.”

Murray admitted to being surprised at the sight of Marcos Baghdatis angrily smashing four rackets in quick succession during his defeat to Stanislas Wawrinka; the actions costing the Cypriot a $770 fine.

After going down a break in the third set, having already lost the first two sets, of his second-round match Baghdatis sat in his chair at the changeover and whacked his racket seven times on the court until it was completely mangled.

The former Australian Open finalist then calmly gave it to a ballboy before picking three more from his bag – two still in plastic wrappers – and breaking those one by one.

“Everybody’s different,” said Murray. “You just have to let guys do what is natural to them. Before, the guys were way worse behaved and said way, way worse things to the umpires. Yet if I swear on the court, I get asked about a hundred questions about it.

“Years ago players were swearing at umpires, swearing at ball kids, people in the stands and stuff. I’ve taken my fair share of stick for saying stuff on the court that was very, very mild compared with what the guys used to before. I’m happy with the way it is just now.”

Topics: Andy Murray, Australian Open