Blog: Ace

Murray bts Federer. The end or the start of a new era?

What is surprising about Andy Murry beating the great Roger Federer is that it came as no surprise. Certainly not to Andy Murray. And nor is seems to the headline writers either. And yet six months ago this would have been recorded off the sports page richter scale. Our skinny Scots boy beating the great Roger - nah - you are having a laugh. Well obviously not.

But the question is are we now seeing the decline of the Swiss one or are we seeing the start of a new imperious order.?

Already this year at the Australian Open Djokovich made Federer look week. Federer had battled through some matches to the semi final with Tipsarowich making federer struggle. Lately he has looked slow and lacking in power. At 27 is he now too old to compete with the young guns. It may be to do with Federer's fitness or his age.
With tennis - the faster you get to the ball the more time you have to play and control your shot.
In the Murry match, Federer complained afterwards that Murray just defended and waited for him to make mistakes. But surely this is a sensible tactic by the Scot. To use a boxing analogy you don't want to trade punches with a beter puncher - you want to bide your time and when he tires - pick him off. And this is what Murray did.
Federer has all the shots - no question. But he can't play the shots if he's worn down. He makes mistakes.
This tactic might not work on grass at Wimbledon and I would guess that he's still the favourite for the other tournaments and especially the French on the strength sapping clay it will be the Murray's of this world who will come out on top.
Murray has now won two tournaments this year and beaten Federer -and will shortly be in the top ten in the World. His serve has got bigger (he never faced a break point agianst Federer), he is fitter, more used to competition and he now says through hot yoga his head is in the right place to take on the very best. And suddenly a new order looms in tennis

by Ace on 10:03 on 5th March 2008