Andy Murray News

Andy Murray Vs Marcos Baghdatis - 1st Rnd - Cincinnati Masters 2007

David Congreave — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 08:15:00 +0000

UPDATE: Play in Cincinnati starts at 4pm (UK time) and Murray and Baghdatis are third out on the Grandstand court. This makes a probable start of around 8pm, but it's impossible to be certain when matches can end after just a few minutes should an injury occur.

Keep an eye on LiveScore - when Ferrero Vs Rochus has finished, Murray will be on next.

You can't write Murray and Cincinnati in the same sentence without thinking of THAT match.

But it's a year later and while Murray is finally back in action after his injury lay-off, it's not quite the Murray we remember.

The doctors say that the injury has healed so if Murray is holding off on his forehand, is it because of pain or is the problem purely psychological now?

Some of the current media are already talking about Murray's mental game being damaged, but I think it's too soon for that kind of talk. Murray has shown great patience in not returning to action too quickly and, now that he is ready to play some matches, there's no reason why he shouldn't ease back in slowly.

I don't think it's too much of a stretch of the imagination to think that, right now, Murray's sights are firmly set on the US Open. Murray's ranking have dropped to 16th (only three better than a year ago), but he knows that a strong showing at Flushing Meadows in a couple of weeks time can catapult him back where he belongs.

Cincinnati is a big tournament, but EVERYTHING pales next to the grand slams. This next two weeks is not about results, it's about getting physically and mentally ready for the US Open.

Masters tennis is a tough point to return because the tough matches tend to start right from the 1st round. Cincinnati Masters 2007 is no exception with Murray drawn against Baghdatis (18), the player that dumped him out of Wimbledon 2006.

As with last weeks tournament, Murray could meet up with Federer in the third round. But first he'll have to find his way past the 'hit and miss' Cypriot and then either Henman or Chela in the 2nd round.

Baghdatis didn't have a happy 2006 in the Masters Series, only reaching the third round twice (one of them in Cincinnati). But there's no doubt that Murray will have to play somewhere near his best if he's going to progress.

There's no sign of Murray in today's order of play, so it looks like this match won't be played until tomorrow. I'll check tomorrow morning and post the start time then.

RESULT: Andy Murray Loses to Fabio Fognini - 2nd Rnd - Montreal Masters 2007

David Congreave — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 09:07:00 +0000

As we've seen lately, Murray rarely loses to a lower ranked players so, either Fognini is a rising star, or Murray was struggling with fitness when he lost 2-6 2-6.

According to media reports, it's probably a bit of both.

Fognini - by all accounts - played well and is only nine days younger than Murray. After the match Murray said that his wrist was ok, but that his body was stiff and sore.

This is hardly unexpected after such a long absence and it appears that Murray may still be holding back on some of his forehand shots. The stats show Murray's first serve percentage only just below 60%, but Fognini converted an impressive 5 break points from 8 opportunities.

By comparison, Murray won just 1 from 6.

It's a disappointing way to go out of the come-back tournament, but better now than at the US Open. Competitive matches are a world apart from training and Murray will want a few more before the US Open begins.

Murray is currently undecided on whether to move on to the Cincinnati tournament, or stay put and do some more training.

Looking on the positive side, Murray chalked up a win on Tuesday so is definitely on the way back to his best. Also, if Murray had defeated Fognini he would have faced Federer in the next round.

The result would likely have been Murray pushing himself too hard, or suffering a crushing (and confidence-sapping) defeat followed by a roasting in the cynical press.

Not a great week then, but nothing to get in a twist over and plenty of optimism remains for the US Open.

Sources:

BBC SPORT | Tennis | Murray plays down US Open chances
BBC SPORT | Tennis | Murray return comes to early end

RESULT: Andy Murray Defeats Robby Ginepri - 1st Rnd - Montreal Masters 2007

David Congreave — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 08:55:00 +0000

Running behind (again), so let's get up to date as quickly as possible.

Murray defeated Ginepri in straight sets 6-4 6-4 in just under and hour and a half which - for a comeback match - is very satisfying.

The first serve percentage was over 60%, with six aces in there. Ginepri managed to break Murray once in each set, but was also broken twice in each set, making for a tidy scoreline.

I only managed to catch brief highlights which showed some nice-looking shots from Murray. It looks like the genius is still present, but Murray admitted afterwards that he is still holding back - no doubt still a little nervous about an injury reocurrence.

Source:
BBC SPORT | Tennis | Murray eases to win on comeback

Andy Murray Vs Robby Ginepri - 1st Rnd - Montreal Masters (Rogers Cup) 2007

David Congreave — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 08:54:00 +0000

UPDATE: I don't know where I got Friday from :-S

Murray and Ginepri are due on court TODAY after the match between Haas and Calleri. Start time for the day is 4pm (UK time), so barring any withdrawal for injury (I mean for Haas or Calleri you cynic!), we could be looking at a start time of 5:30pm onwards.

Sky Sports Extra have it, otherwise the ever dependable Live Score is available at:

http://www.rogerscupmen.com/1/en/home/

Will Murray play?

There's precious little talk about injury, which would usually be a bad sign. But I'm in a positive mood, so perhaps the injury that has kept Murray out of action for the last 12 weeks has, at last, fully healed.

The top 8 seeds in the Montreal Masters get a BYE to the 2nd round. Murray is seeded 13th so will have to slug it out from the 1st round (on ~~Friday or Saturday~~ Tuesday).

Robby Ginepri (58) is the opening opponent, the player that Murray has beaten twice before (Cincinnatti Masters 2006 and Thailand Open 2005) .

Not the easiest come-back match, but it could have been a lot worse. And in fact it might be, because Murray has been drawn in the same quarter as Federer (1) and could meet the player he defeated in Cincinnatti last year in round three.

Before that, the 2nd round opponent would be local wildcard Peter Polansky (326) or a qualifier.

Last year, Murray reached the semi-final of this tournament, his first in a Masters Series. It's hard to believe it was only a year ago but, of course, that particular achievement was soon eclipsed by beating Federer a week later.

I really want to get excited about this event, but it's hard when so many recent tournaments have fallen by the wayside after last minute withdrawals through injury. I'll be watching the news closely and I'll post any updates and the order of play as they come in.

Andy Murray Withdraws from Washington, Legg Mason Classic 2007

David Congreave — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 08:14:00 +0000

Just over five weeks ago, on June 24th, we were eagerly awaiting Andy Murray's first round match against Nicolas Lapentti at Wimbledon 2007.

With only 24 hours to go, Murray pulled out of the tournament to allow additional rehabilitation time for this wrist injury. He set his sights for a US tournament a couple of weeks later which, of course, never transpired.

Now, just two days before the start of the Legg Mason Classic 2007, the tournament in which he finished runner-up in 2006, Murray has again withdrawn to allow further rehabilitation time.

I had high hopes that this week would see the comeback match, especially after having stated on the official website, 11 days ago, that the doctors had given Murray the all-clear to "step things up".

If the doctors are happy that the injury has healed, this suggests to me that Murray still isn't 100% free of pain, perhaps mainly during recovery.

Murray is right to be cautious, but this means that all predictions are now off. Any statement to the effect that he will be making his comeback at any tournament can safely be assumed to be speculative until we see Murray walk out on to the court to face an opponent.

The waiting continues...

Sources:
AndyMurray.com - Andy's Blog
BBC SPORT Tennis Murray puts off planned comeback

63 Days Since Andy Murray's Last Tennis Match

David Congreave — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 09:46:00 +0000

UPDATE: Andy Murray has confirmed that his come-back tournament will be the Legg Mason Classic in Washington. You can read his message at:

http://andymurray.com/about/news/19-07/andys-blog/

But man, it feels a lot longer than that.

Since that fateful day in Hamburg, Murray has dropped to 14th in the world rankings and missed two Grand Slams in succession.

Before Wimbledon, Murray was aiming to play in Los Angeles, but has since pulled out to allow more recovery time.

I can't find any official word, but the Legg Mason Classic in Washington, USA, looks like a possibility for Murray's comeback match. In 2006, Murray reached the final in Washington, before losing to Arnaud Clement.

This means ranking points to defend. But it also means it's a tournament that Murray should feel comfortable and confident in.

Whenever Murray returns there will be a lot of fans waiting with bated breath to see if Murray comes out rusty or rested and raring to go.

I'm thinking it'll be the latter.

Andy Murray Pulls Out of Wimbledon 2007

David Congreave — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 06:55:00 +0000

Yesterday afternoon, Andy Murray released a statement to the effect that he was not 100% fit and so would not be taking part in the Wimbledon event that begins today.

On June 4th, I predicted that Murray would be watching rather than playing and, although the last few days had given everyone hope, that opinion proved to be the correct one.

Disappointing to say the least, but worse for Murray who had a real chance of reaching the Qtr-Finals or even the Semi-Finals in a Grand Slam for the first time. After Murray's previous record of trying to play injured, I really had started to think that, having got this close to the opening day, he would at least give it a try.

But, pleasingly, it looks like Murray has learned from previous experience and is unwillingly to risk further injury to his wrist; such a crucial part of the body for a tennis player.

In his statement, Murray said,

"The doctor has advised me not to play and that I probably need about ten days to be ready. Unfortunately, I don’t think it is going to rain for the next ten days."

So, looking ahead, Murray may be ready to defend his semi-final appearance at Newport in about two weeks time. He will however lose the 150 ranking points he earned at Wimbledon 2006. As things stand, that would move Murray back down to 13th place, depending - of course - on whether the players below him succesfully defend their Wimbledon ranking points.

Looking on the bright side, there is far less chance of any long term injury to Murray's wrist and, hey, Wimbledon will begin today anyway, even without GB's star player. We can look forward to hours of...

Solid rain until Thursday...

Source:
AndyMurray.com - Breaking news: Andy pulls out…
BBC SPORT | Tennis | Injured Murray out of Wimbledon
BBC - Weather Centre - 5 Day Forecast for Wimbledon

Wimbledon Draw 2007 - Andy Murray plays Nicolas Lapentti in 1st Round

David Congreave — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 11:05:00 +0000

The draw is out and the unlucky sap who drew Federer in the first round is Teimuraz Gabashvili from Russia.

More importantly, Andy Murray has drawn Nicolas Lapentti (63) whose ranking has been on the decline since 2000 and has only won four matches so far this season compared to Murray's 24.

So, on paper, this is an easy opening round - assuming of course that Murray elects to play.

As for the rest of the draw...

Second Round:
Benneteau (57): Murray defeated Benneteau at the same stage last year.
or
Tsonga (113)

Third Round:
Tim Henman (78) is a possibility, but Carlos Moya (22) is more likely.

Fourth Round:
Richard Gasquet (12) is the highest seed in this section and would be a tough encounter.

Qtr-Final:
Unless something bizarre happens, Andy Roddick (3) will be the opponent. This would be further than Murray has ever gone in a Grand Slam so the pressure would be on. The memory of last years straight sets victory would give him comfort.

Semi-Final:
Roger Federer (1). I want to see this match sooo badly.

Final:
Nadal (2) is probable, assuming he gets by Djokovic (5) first.

You're going to see Lapentti disected in the press over the next few days (not literally) so I'll keep you posted.

Source:
Official Wimbledon Site - Printable Draw

Andy Murray & Wimbledon - Draw Coming Soon

David Congreave — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 10:29:00 +0000

With just five days before day one of Wimbledon, it's still unclear whether or not Andy Murray will play.

Murray has already said that he will make a decision on the morning of his first match which could come on Monday, or later in the week depending on the draw and the weather.

A performance at the Boodles exhibition tournament would have been encouraging, but it's yet to happen aside from a friendly game with a young competition winner.

Murray is seeded 8th for Wimbledon, his highest ever for a grand slam, so I'm keenly anticipating a favourable draw. As you may recall, the last few master series events has seem some very tough line-ups for Murray, but with the larger field of Wimbledon and seeding that places him to the Qtr-Finals I'd expect, at the very least, a couple of relatively easy rounds.

If Murray is fit to play, it will be important not to have the added pressure of facing a top 20 player before he's had a chance to regain some match fitness.

The draw will be made tomorrow morning at 10am (UK Time), so I'll post full details tomorrow.

Andy Murray - New World Ranking: 8

David Congreave — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 06:56:00 +0000

As predicted last week, Andy Murray has moved up again to a career-high of 8 - his target position for the end of the 2007 tennis season. Maintaining that position until the Shanghai Masters comes round will be tough, but definitely achievable.

The change in ranking occurred because James Blake didn't enter the Stella Artois (Queens) tournament and so failed to defend the points he picked up by reaching the final back in 2006.

This places Murray 10 points above James Blake - enough to secure 8th place. Andy Murray is now just 115 points behind Tommy Robredo who lies in seventh position.

It may seem strange to some that Murray can move up the rankings without playing, but it's worth noting that the ranking position is a snapshot of the last 12 months - a long time in tennis. For that reason, the rankings usually take a while to catch up with the current form of the players.

Murray didn't move up the rankings because he was injured. He moved up the rankings because of a strong showing at the Australian Open, two semi-final apearances in Masters Series tournaments and a victory in San Jose.

Combine that with players above him dipping in form and the rankings are now showing a more accurate picture of where players are at.

But Murray is now on the cusp of a series of tournaments that provided a lot of rankings points in 2006. Wimbledon, the US Open and Washington all provided big numbers that Murray will be keen to defend.

The good news is that Murray has claimed to be feeling much more confident about his wrist:

"I was able to put far more pressure on the wrist. I’m serving at full power and also hitting my backhand with full power — although I’m still being a bit careful with my forehand as I put more pressure on the wrist when I’m hitting the ball.

"Hopefully within the next couple of days, I’ll be able to increase my strength and power just that little bit more.

And even more pleasingly:

"On Monday, I went to see my specialist, and he gave me an ultrasound on my right wrist and said I wouldn’t be risking anything if I stepped up my practice, so that’s what I have done."

Murray has already said that he will wait until the morning of his first round match at Wimbledon to make his decision on whether or not to play. But, between now and then, we should start to get a stronger picture of how likely it is that Murray will play.

Source:
The Sun Online - Sport: Murray: I'm back and buzzing

Brad Gilbert Hints That Andy Murray Will Be Fit For Wimbledon

David Congreave — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 10:26:00 +0000

In an interview with the BBC, Brad Gilbert gave the strongest indication yet that Murray will be fit in time for Wimbledon.

Gilbert said, "Hopefully he's going to be playing Boodles next week and Wimbledon's around the corner."

Boodles is an exhibition event and would be a good opportunity to test his fitness without the pressure of a competitive tournament.

I find these comments particularly encouraging because Gilbert wrote off Murray's clay season when Murray himself was still hopeful of a quicker recovery. I think these comments would be very unlikely if Gilbert wasn't very confident that Murray was going to play at Boodles next week.

So all eyes will be on this exhibition. If Murray plays without any problems, then Wimbledon should be a cert.

Source:
BBC SPORT | Tennis | Gilbert hopeful on Murray injury

New Career-High World Ranking for Andy Murray: 9

David Congreave — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 08:25:00 +0000

With the French Open completed and Nadal narrowing the gap between himself and Federer (still over 2000 points between them), it would have been easy to miss the bizarre fact that Andy Murray has just moved up to 9th in the ATP World Rankings - his highest world ranking to date.

Bizarre, because Andy Murray hasn't played a competitive match for weeks.

Here's how it happened...

Andy Murray was slightly fortunate that his injury occurred during a period when - 12 months ago - he picked up very few victories. As a consequence, although he hasn't been able to pick up any additional ranking points, he also hasn't lost very many. He lost enough to move him from 10th place to 11th place, but that's all so far.

Then we come to...

Ivan Ljubicic got to the third round of the French Open this year - the trouble is, last year he got to the semi-finals. The result? Ljubicic loses a massive 375 ranking points; enough for him to drop five places in the world rankings, taking him out of the top ten and below Andy Murray.

This should have pushed Andy Murray up to tenth, except that...

Tommy Haas reached the 2nd round of Roland Garros in 2006, picking up 35 points. But, like Murray, he had to withdraw from the 2007 tournament through injury, so those points have now gone.

Combined with some other lost ranking points for Haas, it was enough for Murray to leapfrog the German and settle in his new career best of ninth place.

Of course this could all change if Murray doesn't recover in time to play at Wimbledon. Withdrawing from Queens hasn't cost Murray any ranking points as his first round exit last year put it in the 'non-countable' section - but withdrawing from Wimbledon will cost a massive 150 points and push him back down to 11th.

Ok - so it's not the end of the world and, if some higher ranked players don't repeat their performance from last year's Wimbledon, we could see a simiar yo-yo effect in the rankings again.

And there's more...

James Blake is ranked 8th, but is only 25 ranking points ahead of Murray. Last year Blake reached the final of the Stella Artois (Queens) tournament, netting him 155 points.

If Blake fails to match this performance, then Murray could move up again!

Imagine Murray reaching 8th place in the World Rankings (his minimum target for the end of this season) in time for Wimbledon, only to be unable to play through injury.

I wouldn't know whether to laugh or cry!

For a more detailed discussion of the tennis ATP World Rankings - Click Here.

Is Andy Murray Going to Miss Wimbledon?

David Congreave — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 08:53:00 +0000

There's no official word yet but, I've snagged a few clues, so here goes...

I posted my 'Open Letter' to AndyMurrayNews.com and, although an official response was not forthcoming, there were some eye-opening comments by some of the forum regulars.

The main point made was that because Andy Murray is contracted to the major tournaments, there are very specific rules that must be followed when withdrawing.

That makes sense so I set out to try and find if there was in fact an official rule about this. The ATP official website provided me with a copy of the rule book - all 248 pages of it.

There are lots of rules regarding withdrawal of events, but these are all concerned with withdrawals being made 14 days BEFORE the event begins.

It wasn't until I got to the section on "Player Major Offenses" that I found anything that could restrict player comments on injuries.

Rule 7.04 - part 2, states:

"it is an obligation for ATP players, their coaches and family members to refrain from engaging in conduct contrary to the integrity of the game of tennis...

"public comments that one of the stated persons above knows, or should reasonably know, will harm the reputation or financial best interests of a tournament, player, sponsor, official or the ATP are expressly covered by this section.

"Violation of this Section shall subject the player to a fine of up to $100,000 and/or suspension from play in ATP or Challenger Series Tournaments for a period of up to three (3) years.

Is this the rule that prevents players from SPECULATING about a withdrawal before it happens. If Andy Murray was to say that his withdrawal from Wimbledon was probable, then would this harm the "financial best interests" of the tournament?

I'm sure it could be argued that news of a top player withdrawing from a tournament could result in fewer ticket sales.

I'm not an expert, so I can't say with certainty, but it seems to me that this would be a pretty good explanation why the player himself can't talk about withdrawing until it's a certainty.

Saying "I might", or "I probably won't" be playing, only to compete anyway, could be considered a breach of this rule.

Under this circumstances, I'm sure there would be no harm in making positive statements such as "I'm confident I can play" or "There's still a good chance", but this would be irresponsible if these comments weren' t warranted.

So, this leads to the inevitable conclusion that no news is BAD news.

If the recovery is going well, then there would be no harm in saying so.

If the recovery isn't going well, then saying ANYTHING along those lines prior to withdrawal could result in fines and/or suspension.

Is Andy Murray going to miss Wimbledon?

There's still time - but right now, if I had to make a prediction, I would say the evidence suggests that he will be watching, rather than playing.

Andy Murray Confirms Withdrawal From French Open 2007

David Congreave — Thu, 24 May 2007 10:25:00 +0000

Andy Murray gave fans a glimmer of hope earlier in the week but, as expected, confirmed yesterday that he would not be able to compete at Roland Garros.

This is the biggest blow in Murray's recent injury story as even a modest showing at the French Open would have cemented his place in the top ten.

As it is, Murray has slipped to 11 and his best chance of returning won't come until Queens on 11th June. Wimbledon (25 June) may be the priority, but Murray will be keen to get some match practice before the tournament begins. It would be a mistake to push for Queens at the expense of risking his health, but he also won't want to begin his third Wimbledon feeling rusty.

In 2006, Wimbledon marked the beginning of a series of impressive results so, unlike the majority of the last four months, Murray will have points to defend. He may only be a few points outside the top ten, but adding to his ranking score will only get harder as the year progresses.

But a tennis career is a marathon and not a sprint and only a fool would want Murray to spring back into action before the wrist is fully healed.

Patience then, is the key.

Source:
BBC SPORT | Tennis | Murray pulls out of French Open

Open Letter to AndyMurray.com

David Congreave — Fri, 18 May 2007 07:29:00 +0000

If you agree with this letter, please either:

- Post a comment indicating your agreement.
- or link back to this blog post from your website or blog using the web address:

http://www.andymurraynews.com/2007/05/open-letter-to-andymurraycom.html

Thank you.

-----------------------------------------------------------

An open letter - from the fans - to the editors at AndyMurray.com:

Yesterday you released some pictures of Andy Murray getting his cast fitted.

It's very pleasing to see the editors at AndyMurray.com providing the fans with the kind of news that we crave, but it fails to provide any additional information on the extent of the injury.

So far as we can tell, three days after the injury, the only information you have supplied is the interview with Andy Murray the day after the tragic event.

It is often a source of frustration that Andy Murray's official website can be so erratic in terms of the information provided.

On some days you provide some fascinating insights into the life and career of Andy Murray. At other times you appear to be in the dark.

A good example of this is during the recent period when Andy Murray sustained a back injury. We were desperate to know if the injury was serious and whether there was an estimated timeframe for his return to action.

It is right and proper that the media allows Murray a significant element of privacy but, when it comes to something as significant as his health - why keep us in the dark?

When - for example - a football player is injured it is usual to find out the extent of the injury, along with an estimate as to how long the player will be out, within hours. Whether the decision not to discuss the injury was strategy or an oversight, we don't know. But it is frustrating to be granted intimate details of Andy's relationships and family life, only to be kept in the dark on details significant to his tennis career.

In that instance, information about Murray's back injury was revealed by his brother in a blog post on the ATP website. Incredibly, you posted a link to this blog post, but you failed to mention that Jamie had just revealed the information that fans were dying to hear.

Had you not read the blog post you were linking to?

We hope so. Because the alternative is that you are out of touch with what the fans want.

The priority for fans of Andy Murray is that he gets everything that he needs to maximise his potential in his tennis career. If Andy is injured, then we hope that Murray gets what he needs to recover quickly.

But, if it is possible to keep the fans updated as to his recovery without jeopardising that, then please, please, please do what you can to accomodate us.

We don't want unfettered access.
We don't want Andy to feel trapped under the media spotlight.
And we don't want more information than Andy is comfortable in sharing.

All we want is regular updates on Andy's recovery from injury and some information to indicate when we can look forward to him returning to action. Preferably, that information should come through the official website rather than leaving us to trawl the internet for any snippets we can find.

The closer we get to the Wimbledon the more anxious we will get, wondering if Andy will be fit enough to play. You can relieve that anxiety by keeping us in the loop on Andy's return to fitness.

AndyMurray.com is a fantastic website with superb facilities and a superb community. All we ask is that a little more effort is put into making sure the REALLY important news gets through.

Thank you for your consideration.

Yours sincerely,

The Fans of Andy Murray.

Andy Murray - Wrist Injury Update

David Congreave — Thu, 17 May 2007 10:13:00 +0000

The good news, is that it's not a fracture. The official word seems to be that Andy Murray suffered tendon damage during his match with Volandri at the Hamburg Masters Series on Tuesday.

It will probably require a pot while it heals which means, unfortunately, that it will be while before Murray can even return to the practice court.

There is virtually no chance that Murray will recover before the French Open (27 May), so the real race will be ensure a return to fitness before Wimbledon (25 June).

With only just over a month to go, it's going to be an anxious wait for Murray and his fans. The decision to play at Wimbledon probably won't be made until nearer the time and, as much as Murray will be desperate to play - especially with some serious ranking points to defend - the risk of long term damage to the wrist will have to be foremost in his mind.

As things stand I could cope with Andy missing the French Open and Wimbledon if it means securing long-term fitness. In terms of progress, Murray is way ahead of the curve and a temporary set back would not be the end of the world.

The last thing Murray needs is to develop a weakness in such a crucial part of the body.

Yes, I want to see Andy Murray back in action soon. But I also want to see Murray in action for many years to come.

Get well soon Andy.. but don't rush back for anyone or anything.

Sources:
BBC SPORT | Tennis | Murray likely to miss French Open
AndyMurray.com - Andy’s injury update - interview

Andy Murray Retires With Wrist Injury - 1st Round - Hamburg Masters Series 2007

David Congreave — Tue, 15 May 2007 13:12:00 +0000

Andy Murray was 5-1 up and just cruising against Volandri until a wrist injury forced him to retire.

BBC Sport reports that Murray appeared to have injured his wrist after one shot and then after the next crumpled over in pain. The trainer strapped it, but after the next two points Murray could no longer continue.

This is desperately disappointing for Murray and his fans, especially considering that Murray had clearly regained his form quickly. The 1st serve percentage was just under 70% and he'd won three of his five break points.

This result will almost certainly see Murray slip out of the top ten, but the main concern now will be whether he can recover in time for the French Open. A back injury is one thing, a wrist injury is something else entirely. There'll be an anxious wait to find out the extent of injury.

We'll all be hoping for good news, but please, please, please - and this is a message for the PR people and the team at AndyMurray.com - don't leave us in the dark for as long as last time.

Source:
BBC SPORT | Tennis | Injured Murray retires in Hamburg
BBC SPORT | Tennis | Gamewatch: Murray v Volandri

Andy Murray Vs Filippo Volandri - 1st Round - Hamburg Masters Series 2007

David Congreave — Mon, 14 May 2007 08:44:00 +0000

UPDATE: Murray and Volandri are second on court with play starting at 10am (UK time). So sometime after 11:30 am sounds about right.

The early start won't favour Murray, but I have a hunch that he'll be ready for this one. I'm not sure whether we're going to see Murray fired up as I think that only happens when he's playing against someone ranked highly. Murray will be confident, but it'll come down to whether he's focussed.

If he is, then he'll be patient and he'll win in straight sets. Anything less and we could be in for another 3 set match. And don't forget, Murray has only lost one match this year that has gone to 3 sets.

Sky Sports Extra should be showing the match live, otherwise the link to Live Score is at the address at the bottom of this post.

There's no risk of complacency for Andy Murray as he goes straight up against Volandri (34) in the first round - the player who reached the Semi-Final in Rome last week. Murray will know he has to start strongly if he is going to get 2007 back on track.

There's no sign of Murray or Volandri in today's schedule so it should be a Tuesday start for this match.

As with last week, the Hamburg Masters is a 56 player tournament with the top eight seeds getting a BYE to the 2nd round. Murray is seeded ninth so, again, just misses out on the BYE.

The draw is tough, but not unusually so for a Masters. Jose Acususo (32) could be the 2nd round opponent with Robredo (7) in the 3rd round.

Hewitt (22) Canas (20) and Davydenko (back up to 3 again) are potential Qtr-Final opponents, with Nadal (2) and Federer (1), Semi-final and Final match ups respectively.

So far, the extended absence through injury hasn't affected Murrays ranking. He has virtually no points to lose from this period last year and, thankfully, Haas (11) and Berdych (12) haven't been able to take advantage and make up the ground.

But, Murray did reach the second round in this tournament last year so could lose 30 points if he fails to defeat Volandri. Haas only has 5 points to defend so slipping out of the top ten - even temporarily - is the likely result if Murray doesn't bring his 'A' game tomorrow.

It's been a while since Murray has played a match with something valuable at stake - this will certainly be one to watch.

I'll post the order of play tomorrow morning.

Source:
Rome Masters Tennis - Official Site

Andy Murray - 1st Round Exit - Rome Masters Series 2007

David Congreave — Tue, 08 May 2007 07:57:00 +0000

The match was interrupted twice due to rain and both times it changed the tone of the match.

After losing the first set in 24 minutes, Murray was likely pleased with a short rain break. He came back strongly in the second set to win it 6-1.

Then came a three hour rain delay and Murray was broken twice as Simon went into a 4-0 lead. Murray broke back once, but couldn't prevent Simon from serving out the match. The final score 1-6 6-1 3-6.

Murray blamed a lack of match practice and after six weeks out with injury it's hard to argue against that. It's disappointing but the main thing, as previously stated, is that Murray played two hours without any reported injury problems.

Source:
BBC SPORT | Tennis | Murray loses clay opener in Rome

Andy Murray Vs Gilles Simon - 1st Round - Rome Masters Series 2007

David Congreave — Mon, 07 May 2007 07:16:00 +0000

This is a 56 player Masters Series which means the top 8 seeds get a BYE to the 2nd round. Andy Murray is seeded 10th so just misses out.

The good news is that Murray will be out on court this afternoon and will, no doubt, be keen to get his clay court season up and running.

Before we look at the draw, a quick scan of the rankings list shows Murray 30 points behind James Blake in 9th place and 100 points behind Ivan Ljubicic in 8th. Murray has just five points to defend so a modest run in this tournament would still offer a healthy bump in points. Blake and Ljubicic, however, also only have 5 points to defend so it'll be worth keeping a close eye on their progress.

UK is 1 hour behind Rome, so play starts at midday with Murray and Gilles Simon (58) due out third. Some time after 3pm would be my guess. This match will be on Sky Sports Extra - otherwise you can find Live Score at http://www.internazionalibnlditalia.it/1/default.asp?LNG=EN

Simon made a good start early in the year by winning in Marseille in February - his ranking hitting a new high of 38. Since then, however, some early tournament exits have pushed his ranking back down to 58.

This is the first meeting between Murray and Simon and, while Murray will be favourite, this won't be an easy return after injury.

There are no easy draws in Masters Series tennis but, by recent standards, this is a slightly better draw for Murray. But only slightly.

Canas (21) or Melzer (32) await in the second round with Robredo (7) the likely opponent in the third.

After that comes Davydenko (4) (providing he doesn't have another meltdown) and then Nadal (2) or Djokovic (Up to 5 now!).

Federer (1) and Roddick (3) are in the other half of the draw, as are Blake (9) and Ljubicic (8) (see above) so Murray can only meet these players in the final.

Returning from injury is tricky and Murray could either be rusty or relaxed, rested and ready to take on the world. I'd be quite happy with a victory over Simon by any score to get Murray rolling again. But I'll settle for Murray coming through the match injury free.

Estoril Passes Andy Murray By

David Congreave — Tue, 01 May 2007 07:08:00 +0000

Andy Murray experienced some back twinges whilst training and concluded that the injury sustained during the doubles match in Monte Carlo needed more time to recover.

The Masters events in Rome (next week) and Hamburg (week after) are the next target. Murray only has 40 points in total to defend at these two tournaments, but losing those points could see Murray drop down a place or two in the rankings.

It's insignificant as one or two half decent performances would push Murray straight back into the top ten, but it could sway his decision to play sooner rather than later.

As much as I'm keen to see Murray back on court and as much as Rome and Hamburg are significant opportunities to gain ranking points, Wimbledon is more important. And it's less than two months away.

In other news, the GB Davis Cup team will play Croatia at Wimbledon in September. The grass will favour Murray and especially Henman as they look to defeat the likes of Ljubicic (8) and Ancic (14).

Sources:
BBC SPORT | Tennis | GB to face Croatia at Wimbledon
BBC SPORT | Tennis | Injured Murray will miss Estoril
AndyMurray.com - Andy out of Estoril…
AndyMurray.com - Davis Cup Venue Announced

Andy Murray Withdraws from Barcelona - Open Seat 2007

David Congreave — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 08:21:00 +0000

UPDATE: Jamie Murray and Eric Butorac are guest bloggers on the ATP website at the moment and Jamie was kind enough to share some news on Andy Murray.

"he injured some facet joints and should be good to go for Estoril."

The Estoril Open is the first week in May so it sounds like the back injury isn't too serious. Good news all round.

It's not a great surprise to see Murray withdrawing from Barcelona, but there's been no word yet, unofficial or otherwise, as to how long the back injury will need to be rested.

It's frustrating on the one hand, as this is the longest spell without seeing Murray play since the close season. The up side is that we can be fairly confident now that Murray won't return until he's fully fit.

Withdrawing from Monte Carlo did no affect Murray's number ten position. Berdych moved up two places to 12th, but is still 215 points behind Murray. Haas stays 20 points behind Murray and - along with Berdych - doesn't appear to playing in Barcelona or Casablanca.

Murray has 15 points from Barcelona 2006 that he will lose but, because his fifth best ATP result in the last year was 75pts from Newport, this won't affect his ranking points total or his position. I'll keep an eye on it but, unless I've missed something, Murray should still be a top ten player next Monday.

Andy Murray to Withdraw From Monte Carlo Masters 2007?

David Congreave — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 08:03:00 +0000

UPDATE : Much to the relief of his fans Andy Murray has officially pulled out of the Monte Carlo Masters and will now have the time to full recover from a very busy schedule.

I'm not sure how this will affect his ranking, but I would guess that he will lose the 5 points he gained last year by being knocked out in the first round. This won't change his position of 10, but he could be overtaken by players below him if they perform well this week.

Nalbandian and Berdych would probably have to win the tournament to overtake Murray, so I'll keep an eye on the results in Monte Carlo.

Marc Gicquel (46) won his match 7-5 5-7 7-5 and earned the right to play Murray in the 2nd round.

The bad news is that the match may not happen. Andy Murray pulled out of his doubles match yesterday with a back injury and, last night, BBC Radio Five Live indicated that the groin problem may still not have fully recovered.

Murray and Gicquel are fourth in the order of play on the Central Court so there's plenty of time for Murray to make his decision but the early signs are that Murray will withdraw. Late last night, Murray posted on the official forum and said:

"It's feeling better now than it was during the match ive taking some painkillers had treatment and i can walk now at least!! So not looking good for tomorrow."

However Murray feels today I'm seriously hoping he withdraws and gets some rest. There's a still a lot of tennis available between now and the Summer so why take the chance when there are no points to defend.

I just hope the decision isn't affected by the anxiety of how it would look if Murray jumps in out of the top ten for a little while. Only the media will care and his fans certainly won't.

Source:

Andy Murray Forum - bad back!! Andy posted

AndyMurray.com - Andy 4th up on court central Tuesday…

BBC SPORT Tennis Murray retires hurt from doubles

Andy Murray - Countdown to the Top Ten

David Congreave — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 10:59:00 +0000

UPDATE 4: The rankings have been calculated and you can now enjoy the sight of Andy Murray as a top ten player at - http://www.atptennis.com/3/en/rankings/...

Really fantastic to see and with tonnes of ranking points available between now and Wimbledon, Murray has time to consolidate his place in the top ten.

UPDATE 3: Yeah, forget what I said before. Andy Murray has broken into the top ten and who cares how it happened.

Karlovic beating Haas 7-6 6-4 was the final straw, but it's an unbelievable start to 2007 that's pushed Murray to the number ten slot.

We'll have to wait until Monday and the ATP rankings are re-calculated to see it on the official board, but every news site is reporting it as confirmed.

Fantastic news! Well done Andy!

UPDATE 2: Haas beat Devilder 6-3 6-4. The Qtr-Final match against Karlovic is scheduled for 3pm (local time). Karlovic has a 2-1 record against Haas and won the last time they played.

If Karlovic wins, then Murray will move into the top ten when the rankings are re-calculated on Monday. If Haas wins, then Murray will have to wait a little bit longer.

UPDATE: Haas lost the first set, but scraped through in three. His second round match is due to start late tonight.

A place in the top ten is beckoning for Andy Murray and, theoretically, it could happen as early as Monday.

Tommy Haas (10) is just 10 ranking points above Andy Murray (11) and, this week, Haas is defending 75 points in Houston.

If Haas fails to reach the semi-finals, his ranking points will drop below Murray's and they will swap places in the rankings.

Not quite the drama we'd hoped for, but let's make the best of it. Murray's next tournament isn't until next week so for the next few days we'll be following Haas and, cruel as it may sound, we'll be hoping for an early exit.

Haas is the third seed and after Benjamin Beckers exit, he can't meet another seeded player until the semi-final.

What this means is that Haas needs to lose either his 1st round, 2nd round or Qtr-Final match to assure Murray breaks into the top ten.

In the first round (probably today), Haas will play Sam Querrey (67). Haas has beaten Querrey in straight sets twice already this year, so don't hold your breath for this one.

In the second round Haas will play Nicolas Devilder who is ranked... 105. (sigh).

The Qtr-Final has some possibilities however as a tie with Ivo Karlovic is lining up (remember the San Jose final?). Clay may not suit Karlovic as well as the hard courts, but Karlovic did beat Haas on Clay in Munich last year.

The bottom line is that the moment we can confirm that Haas has been knocked out before the Semi-Final, we can confirm that Andy Murray is a top ten player.

It will be a great moment but, personally, I hope Haas goes on to win in Houston. I want Murray to enter the top ten by putting in a great performance in Monte Carlo. Entering the top ten this way will be a dull story for the press and will only put unecessary pressure on Murray before the next tournament.

Go Haas! ahem...

Andy Murray Vs Marc Gicquel - Monte Carlo Masters 2007 - 2nd Round

David Congreave — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 10:25:00 +0000

UPDATE: The draw is up and Murray is seeded 8th, giving him a BYE to the second round. This is GREAT news as it makes it a five round tournament rather than six.

Murray will play either Marc Gicquel (46) or Florian Mayer (40) in the secound round. Andy Murray has no previous meetings with these players.

Looking ahead in the draw, as is my custom, Nalbandian (12) is a possibility for the third round. I don't generally want tough opponents early in the draw but, in the Masters, it is almost inevitable. And it's high time that Murray got a chance to reverse the result from his first Wimbledon.

After that, Nadal (2) would be the likely Qtr-Final opponent - this tournament has the potential for a very exciting draw.

Davydenko and Robredo are the seeded players for a possible Semi-Final match and with no sign of Canas in the draw, it should be Federer in the final.

Interesting the draw puts Federer and Djokovic together at the Qtr-Final stage and it would be interesting to see how a confident, in-form Djokovic matches up against the World number 1.

The BYE to the second round guarantees Murray will gain at least 30 ranking points in this tournament. Pushing ahead of James Blake into ninth place is a real possibility.

Andy is playing with Jamie in the doubles later on today. They are fifth on court so the start time is anyones guess. Just remember that Monte Carlo is one hour ahead of UK time.

This tournament starts on Sunday 15th April 2007, but the first round match probably won't begin until Tuesday 17th April 2007.

This is a Master event so there are a lot of points up for grabs, but there is one less round than the last two Masters events. This makes for a less gruelling tournament, but means that big name players are just a round or two away.

Nadal is the holder and, last year, Murray was narrowly defeated 6-4 6-7 5-7 by Jean-Rene Lisnard in the first round after suffering leg cramps in the third set.

Cramps? Do you remember those? Every time Murray rubbed his leg, Murray fans around the world got palpitations.

Murray may already be in the top ten before the tournament ends, but a good showing here should cement his position. It's a few days till the draw, so I'll update as soon as I get it.