Murray similar to Lendl?

[Fiji]

Murray will very likely be ranked #2 at RG... That makes the draw interesting. We could potentially see Djokovic, Federer, Nadal and Del Potro in the same half while Murray ends up with Ferrer in his half and also Tsonga and Berdych. Imagine Murray reaching the RG final this year? Wow.

Murray is following Lendl's career trajectory at slam finals.

Lendl lost his first 4 slam finals.
Then won his first slam.
Then lost his next 2 slam finals.
Then he won his next 2 slam finals.

Murray lost his first 4 slam finals.
Then won his first slam.
Then loses his next 2 slam finals, AO and RG this year?
Then he wins his next 2 slam finals?

 

[norbac]

No, Murray will win RG.

 

[MonkeyBoy]

Losing the RG final this year is something I can live with knowing he'll take both Wimby and the uso, and will have made 6 consecutive GS finals and counting.

But if he wins RG he seriously has a chance at the FYGS

 

[Terenigma]

I dont think anyone realistically expects Murray to do well at RG which i think bodes really well for him. He can just enjoy the run he has, Nadal and Djokovic are expected to win it so i think the lower ranked players will be more keen to try and take one of them out early plus the press will put huge pressure on them to do well too.

Also if you look at some old pictures of lendl and his open mouthed "roar" you cant help but see simularitys to Murray's screams. So yeah i think they are very similar:

 

[wilson_nxt]

Good comparison, play wise I think Murray is the modern Mecir!

 

[Relinquis]

you guys making Roland Garros predictions for various players are missing something, factor that could change things up big time...


Gulbis!


Also, it's pretty clear that Murray is trying to emulate Lendl... did you guys see the "eye-up/stare-at him" signal Lendl gave Murray during his match against Gasquet?

 

[Elite]

I can not even see Murray making the RG final, so no.

 

[NEW_BORN]

History does and will repeat itself.

Murray who's made the final of the last 3 slams has just as much a chance of making the RG final as any of the other usual suspects.

 

[jaggy]

Wimbly is what I want most for him, well after Cincy anyway

 

[monfed]

Good comparison, play wise I think Murray is the modern Mecir!

Was Mecir a pusher,too?

 

[Borg Number One]

There are many similarities between the two, but Lendl had a better forehand for starters. Later in his career, having been through the gauntlet of Borg, McEnroe and Connors, you bet he was much tougher mentally. That's a tough trio to face off against during your career, and then there was Becker, Edberg, Wilander, etc. Murray will really have to kick into another gear to match the career that Ivan Landl had. Yet, I do think that Murray may win a Wimbledon title and perhaps a few more majors.

 

[Bobby Jr]

Murray is not like Lendl in his mindset - Lendl had the killer instinct and always aimed to dominate his opponents with consistency and pace but he always went for the kill when an opening arose.

Murray does not aim to dominate his opponents anything like Lendl did. He's way more reactive in his play most of the time.

 

[sbengte]

Murray will very likely be ranked #2 at RG... That makes the draw interesting. We could potentially see Djokovic, Federer, Nadal and Del Potro in the same half while Murray ends up with Ferrer in his half and also Tsonga and Berdych. Imagine Murray reaching the RG final this year? Wow.

It is more likely that we will see Nadal-Fed-Murray or Nadal-Ferrer-Murray in the same half. One thing I am really sure of after observing the draw patterns is that Nadal-Djok will never be in the same quarter or same half if Nadal is ranked #5.

 

[sbengte]

Also if you look at some old pictures of lendl and his open mouthed "roar" you cant help but see simularitys to Murray's screams. So yeah i think they are very similar:

Don't know about the roar but a couple of years ago (way before Lendl became Murray's coach and when Murray was on a slam final losing spree), I had posted that Murray's career is reminiscent of Lendl's career and Murray might go on to become a multiple slam winner like Lendl. I had also found a childhood clip of Lendl where he eerily looks like Murray as a kid Unfortunately that clip is now missing from youtube.

 

[Elite]

Unfortunately that clip is now missing from youtube.

Must be a conspiracy.

 

[abmk]

There are many similarities between the two, but Lendl had a better forehand for starters. Later in his career, having been through the gauntlet of Borg, McEnroe and Connors, you bet he was much tougher mentally. That's a tough trio to face off against during your career, and then there was Becker, Edberg, Wilander, etc. Murray will really have to kick into another gear to match the career that Ivan Landl had. Yet, I do think that Murray may win a Wimbledon title and perhaps a few more majors.

well, murray didn't have it easy either having to face off vs fed/nadal/djoker ....

lendl was mentally stronger, but that was more due to lendl himself rather than whom he faced ....

 

[batz]

Was Mecir a pusher,too?

Yep - and he also beat Federer 11 times. True story.

 

[JRAJ1988]

Pushers don't beat Federer...you have to be aggressive and go for winners vs a player of Rogers caliber.

 

[PhrygianDominant]

Pushers don't beat Federer...you have to be aggressive and go for winners vs a player of Rogers caliber.

yes they do

 

[wilson_nxt]

Good post phil star. Murray just isn't as quite out and out aggressive as Fed (but who is) or even Nadal/Djokovic. He is becoming more aggressive though - that has come through clearly from Lendl.

Also, once you have Fed and Nadal hanging up their racquets - they'll go long before Murray is done IMO, then who's going to be winning the slams? I don't see any major competition outside Djokovic.

Think of this...until Murray and Djokovic are 30 there are 20 slams or so to be played yet...who's going to win those? If Fed wins no more - then you've got a lot of slams to go around 3 guys...

 

[Fiji]

Murray is very similar to Mecir (who also won a Gold medal and like Murray, played in a tough era). They both are around 6'3 and Mecir had the best footwork and movement for a guy his height. Hence, this nickname "The Big Cat".

I don't think Murray or Mecir are "pushers". They play a more controlled and consistent baseline game. You don't get to number 3 or 4 in the world by accident.

I agree, I think Murray will lose RG but will win Wimby or US Open, if not this year then eventually. Don't think he'll win 8 like Lendl did but he'll win some more slams before his career is over. The field is just not that deep with only Nadal and Djokovic as his main obstacles.

I think Murray will end up with 4-6 slams. He has the least mileage of the top guys and the upcoming generation is terrible.

 

[hittman10]

Murray is no Lendl

 

[bjsnider]

Murray doesn't use his fearhand to punish the opponent enough to really be like Lendl. He does grind them down with the 2hbh, but that's not similar to Lendl.

In the final against Ferrer, Murray hit a 96mph topspin fearhand winner. That's extremely rare power. You can watch whole tournaments and not see that. Murray also hit one that fast against djokovic in the USO final. If Murray used that shot more, he'd be more Lendl-like. Why he doesn't, I can't say, because it doesn't make any sense to me. He's in neutral rallies, and he has numerous opportunities to put a shank in the opponent's back with that shot, and instead just pushes the ball over the net.

 

[West Coast Ace]

Was Mecir a pusher,too?

No. And he didn't berate his box or grab body parts as if he was constantly injured.

It will be interesting to see if like Lendl, now that Murray got 1 that he'll win a lot more. I know the Brits don't like to hear it (at least those on these boards; my friends in London all agree) but there are still signs of the mental fragility in the Murray game when things start going bad in matches. He's shown he can beat Fed in majors; don't so sure about Nadal or Djokovic, especially on clay.

 

[Mainad]

No. And he didn't berate his box or grab body parts as if he was constantly injured.

Mecir was a fascinating player. But he was not of the same calibre as Murray no matter what body parts he did or didn't grab hold of.

It will be interesting to see if like Lendl, now that Murray got 1 that he'll win a lot more. I know the Brits don't like to hear it (at least those on these boards; my friends in London all agree) but there are still signs of the mental fragility in the Murray game when things start going bad in matches.

How do you work that out? Did he show mental fragility when Djokovic had levelled at 2 sets all in the USO final or when he went 0-3 down to Gasquet at the start of their Miami semi or 0-5 down to Ferrer at the start of their Miami final plus facing a match point from him? How does all that square with him still being mentally fragile when things are going badly for him?

He's shown he can beat Fed in majors; don't so sure about Nadal or Djokovic, especially on clay.

Well, he's beaten Djokovic and Nadal in Majors too! I agree with you that he has yet to prove himself against them on clay.

 

[Goosehead]

murray..has beaten nadal and djokovic in majors.