What the! Murray is seeking to attack now??

Murray fans: I've previously put lots of hate towards the Scot. But this last week has proved to me what he really is capable of. This has been about the first time EVER that I've enjoyed somewhat watching Andy! He is on a roll now, and IMO he has changed his gameplan quite a bit. He has not just played his typical defense this week. Now he has a clear attacking game plan:

1) Return the serves as early off the bounce as possible, and aggressively flatten out them to get the time away from the server! I enjoy this more aggressive returning of him a lot, like I did enjoy watching Agassi return the serves back in the day.
2) He clearly has a plan within each rally to try to seek a perfect time to flatten out an attacking ground stroke early within a rally. This flatter hitting aggressive play works great for him, as he has never really been a huge topspin monster. He also no longer goes for that endless defensive CC rally mode to wait for an error from the opponent. Rather he tries to seek AN ATTACK as early as possible! When Murray really unleashes his flat hard pace, it really troubles the opponents! This more aggressive Murray is like the polar opposite of the boring "put the ball back in play" Pushray I've previously seen.

Also, he is going for that BH DTL more often now! He is not just hitting safe CC balls back. This is like a final hit on the nail: Murray is going for it, he attacks the ball a lot and wants to WIN instead of just fear of losing!

If he can keep up this aggressive mindset, he could very well win Wimby/USO combo this year! That'd be awesome for him, and his fans! Where did all this change come from?
 

Mainad

Bionic Poster
Firstly: thanks for your belated recognition of Murray's abilities!

Secondly: This is a guy who has already won multiple Slams and multiple Masters events. This just happens to be the first one on clay, his weakest surface! Do you really suppose he won all those big events in the past just by pushing the ball back and forth and defending all the time? 5 years ago Murray beat Federer in the final of Shanghai by the same score. Check out the video on you-tube and you'll wonder how you managed to miss so much of Murray's career!

Thirdly: Yes, Murray has been adopting some different tactics lately. My feeling is that he can't grind from the baseline as much as he used to do and is now trying to shorten points by serving and hitting flatter and more aggressively and, as you say, learning to go DTL a lot more. He felt that he needed to do something radically different on clay which has always been his weakest surface. Looks like the new tactics have paid off handsomely so far!

Fourthly: Does this mean you've finally got fed up underestimating him and disrespecting his abilities and are now going to start understanding and appreciating him a little more? If so, a belated welcome to the fold! :)
 

Ralph

Hall of Fame
Bjorkman? Have they started work together yet....?

Murray was always capable of attacking tennis, for some reason he chose early on in his career to concentrate on defensive tennis, percentages etc. When he attacks, he's a joy to watch. Same with Gilles Simon...So capable of it, but prefers to play backboard.
 
D

Deleted member 733170

Guest
Bjorkman? Have they started work together yet....?

Murray was always capable of attacking tennis, for some reason he chose early on in his career to concentrate on defensive tennis, percentages etc. When he attacks, he's a joy to watch. Same with Gilles Simon...So capable of it, but prefers to play backboard.

Murray was super attacking tonight and as you say fun to watch. This match was slightly reminiscent of the Rome 2014 QF's, with the difference being that Nadal could never move out of 4th gear.
 
Mainad;9302615 [U said:
Fourthly:[/U] Does this mean you've finally got fed up underestimating him and disrespecting his abilities and are now going to start understanding and appreciating him a little more? If so, a belated welcome to the fold! :)

Fifthly: If he goes back to that defensive bunt the ball back in play mode, I will hate him even more! I just hate that game style, above all. This attacking Murray, I do like! IF (a big if :)) he keeps on playing like this, I could actually root for him!
 

Gazelle

G.O.A.T.
Bjorkman? Have they started work together yet....?

Murray was always capable of attacking tennis, for some reason he chose early on in his career to concentrate on defensive tennis, percentages etc. When he attacks, he's a joy to watch. Same with Gilles Simon...So capable of it, but prefers to play backboard.

Your avatar cracks me up every time. You should post more often :)
 

xan

Hall of Fame
He was always capable of this.
Its just that when things go south he reverts to pushing/defending.

Not to say that doesnt bear results, but he could have been more successful, no doubt about it.
 
He was always capable of this.
Its just that when things go south he reverts to pushing/defending.

Not to say that doesnt bear results, but he could have been more successful, no doubt about it.

Exactly. I know he's been physically capable of this, but I've also been proved (repetitively) that his mind hasn't been capable of this. It seems more like a change in mindset. Some mental signal, undoubtedly the "Kim-effect"?
 

syc23

Professional
We've seen this type of play before, funnily it was against Nadal at USO'08. Hope this is a sign of things to come in 2015. He can't grind with Nole either and must play him in the same way.
 
We've seen this type of play before, funnily it was against Nadal at USO'08. Hope this is a sign of things to come in 2015. He can't grind with Nole either and must play him in the same way.

But the real question is: Does he have the belief? Against Nadal, on clay, he does. Against Nole, anywhere, does he?
 

syc23

Professional
But the real question is: Does he have the belief? Against Nadal, on clay, he does. Against Nole, anywhere, does he?

Well he didn't have the belief to _ _ _ _ Nadal on clay before and now _ _ _ _, anything is possible.

He has already accomplished the most difficult thing in his career by winning Wimbledon so who knows?
 

xan

Hall of Fame
I missed a first set completely, but i was mildly shocked when i saw the result.
Unfortunately i think this result may speak more of nadal than murray. (Credit to him tho, but thats just my 2 cents. We shall see more in the upcoming month.)
 
Well he didn't have the belief to beat Nadal on clay before and now he's done it, anything is possible.

He has already accomplished the most difficult thing in his career by winning Wimbledon so who knows?

Well, let me be honest: I'm actually looking forward to a Djokovic-Murray clash. Who would've thought that! :shock:
 
I missed a first set completely, but i was mildly shocked when i saw the result.
Unfortunately i think this result may speak more of nadal than murray. (Credit to him tho, but thats just my 2 cents. We shall see more in the upcoming month.)

Did you see how he DESTROYED Nishikori?
 

xan

Hall of Fame
I admit i did not.
But let me ask you this, are we expecting nishikori to start beating murray around too? I do not.
 

veroniquem

Bionic Poster
I think he's aiming at #1. He will be Djoko's main rival this season for sure.
This is more and more shaping up like a Djokoray type of season. Even on clay and that's saying a lot.
 
I admit i did not.
But let me ask you this, are we expecting nishikori to start beating murray around too? I do not.

I actually expected Nishikori to win this tournament. As for Murray's win over him, it's not just the result but the WAY how he beat him: With huge attacking play! In the final, he just kept on doing the same.
 

JonnyMac

Hall of Fame
Murray fans: I've previously put lots of hate towards the Scot. But this last week has proved to me what he really is capable of. This has been about the first time EVER that I've enjoyed somewhat watching Andy! He is on a roll now, and IMO he has changed his gameplan quite a bit. He has not just played his typical defense this week. Now he has a clear attacking game plan:

1) Return the serves as early off the bounce as possible, and aggressively flatten out them to get the time away from the server! I enjoy this more aggressive returning of him a lot, like I did enjoy watching Agassi return the serves back in the day.
2) He clearly has a plan within each rally to try to seek a perfect time to flatten out an attacking ground stroke early within a rally. This flatter hitting aggressive play works great for him, as he has never really been a huge topspin monster. He also no longer goes for that endless defensive CC rally mode to wait for an error from the opponent. Rather he tries to seek AN ATTACK as early as possible! When Murray really unleashes his flat hard pace, it really troubles the opponents! This more aggressive Murray is like the polar opposite of the boring "put the ball back in play" Pushray I've previously seen.

Also, he is going for that BH DTL more often now! He is not just hitting safe CC balls back. This is like a final hit on the nail: Murray is going for it, he attacks the ball a lot and wants to WIN instead of just fear of losing!

If he can keep up this aggressive mindset, he could very well win Wimby/USO combo this year! That'd be awesome for him, and his fans! Where did all this change come from?


Sorry I have to apologise - In all seriousness you make some good points, but act like a person who has never actually seen Murray play ever.

WTF - Have you been blind the last few years ? There is VERY LITTLE new in Murray's game - He just got his head straight - That's all.

But thanks for noticing and thanks for saying!
- Now go and get some spectacles - Weirdo ;-)

Oh and Guys there is a NEW bloke Named Federererer - He's really good !

Did you know !?

Sorry I hate to be sarcastic, but please .... really !
 
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Sorry I have apologise - In all seriousness you make some good points, but act like a person who has never actually seen Murray play ever.

WTF - Have you been blind the last few years ? There is VERY LITTLE new in Murray's game - He just got his head straight - That's all.

But thanks for noticing and thanks for saying!
- Now go and get some spectacles - Weirdo ;-)

Oh and Guys there is a NEW bloke Named Federererer - He's really good !

Did you know !?

Sorry I hate to be sarcastic, but please .... really !

But WHY, OH WHY does Murray always revert back to pushing against Djokovic? Why, oh why?
 

Earnest One

Semi-Pro
obviously Mauresman explained a thing or two about clay tennis to the Muzette :)

Hey, serve and volley tennis "almost" got McEnroe AND Edberg FO titles (two of the greatest disasters ever in modern tennis; one of them winning would have been big, both would be huge and probably would have greatly influenced the course of tennis history--especially serve and volley and one-handed backhands).

I love attacking tennis on clay. Great stuff. Murray has the touch to hit drop shots. He should mix in a few. They fit beautifully into attacking tennis, especially if they aren't outright winners but are followed up by a super aggressive topspin lob. Murray can do this stuff. It is the ultimate toying with an opponent. Drop shot, then winning lob. Brutal stuff. Fabulous!
 
Yes, his style change alot. But everyone play against Nadal has to attack because Nadal always put himself in defense position (Slow serve, take ball off the bounce"
 

Feather

Legend
Fifthly: If he goes back to that defensive bunt the ball back in play mode, I will hate him even more! I just hate that game style, above all. This attacking Murray, I do like! IF (a big if :)) he keeps on playing like this, I could actually root for him!

Feeling mutual!

I too like game styles. I liked the way Murray played yesterday. I will actually root for him if he plays this way
 
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