Andy Murray’s Patience May Pay Off

Written by: Staff on 5th July 2013

Andy Murray’s Patience May Pay Off |

The time-honoured belief that patience is a virtue isn’t something that’s always been paramount in the mind of Andy Murray. But Wimbledon’s no.2 seed and Britain’s great hope of finally lifting the Men’s Singles trophy showed he was prepared to show endurance and fortitude to hang in the quarterfinal with Fernando Verdasco and finally prevail.

Spain’s Verdasco seemed to be filling a role normally played by his beaten compatriot Rafael Nadal as he outplayed Murray in the opening two sets and looked on course to register yet another major upset in this most topsy-turvy of Wimbledons. However Murray eventually found a way to fight back and win 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-5.

Murray accepted the fact that he needed to change tactics, regrouped and changed his game plan to eventually win through. “I definitely didn’t rush when I went two sets to love down,” said 26 year-old US Open champion. “I slowed myself down if anything, and that was a good sign.”

The once petulant Scot is a far more pragmatic performer since linking up with coach Ivan Lendl and winning both the Olympic gold medal and the trophy at New York’s Flushing Meadows last September. He now has the ability to weigh up situations and make amendments to his approach.

“I thought about what I was doing wrong and the best way to get myself to get back into the match,” he said. “I changed tactics a little bit, was more patient, took a bit longer between points, didn’t rush and didn’t give him any free points after that.”

The old Andy Murray could quite easily have self-destructed as left-handed Verdasco enjoyed the sort of superiority born out of the fact the second seed hadn’t played a left-hander since overcoming another Spaniard, Feliciano Lopez, en route to the US title nearly ten months ago.

Although Murray was in a grouchy mood, berating himself and repeatedly gesturing that his back and left hip were causing him pain, was able to regain his composure quickly enough and said: “It’s something you learn with playing matches and with age, being more mature.

“Obviously a lot of players get frustrated on the court, but you need to try to find a way to respond and not get too down on yourself. Providing it’s for a point or two points it’s OK, but it shouldn’t be affecting me for three, four games at a time. It may have done in the past, but I don’t think that’s the case anymore.”

Murray, who will face Poland’s Jerzy Janowicz in tomorrow’s semifinal didn’t impress his compatriot and close friend Tim Henman. The Scot’s predecessor as British no.1 said: “That was the great escape.

“It wasn’t the best match Andy has played, it wasn’t the prettiest match Andy has played, but the challenge in a Grand Slam is winning three sets in a match and he did that. It’s all about his five wins. Five down and now just two to go. But it goes without saying that this will be a wake-up call.”

Henman has long been of the opinion that Murray is good enough to win Wimbledon but another start similar to that he showed against Verdasco could be potentially disastrous.

“What went wrong in the first two sets for him was a combination of Fernando Verdasco playing very aggressively and Murray letting him,” continued Henman. “He was too defensive and couldn’t really get on the front foot at all.

“Andy just wasn’t decisive enough and he wasn’t being clear in the way he wanted to play.”

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: Andy Murray, British tennis news, Fernando Verdasco, Jerzy Janowicz, Sports, Tennis News, Wimbledon Championships