Can Murray go all the way? (ooh err)

[vickster]

Could be his year, Serena having just lost the women's final for the first time

Or he'll bottle it and get hammered by Djokovic as mostly happens

 

[jefmcg]

He said to a journalist something along the lines of, "if you were told that you were the seventh best journalist in the world would you think you were a failure, or if a doctor was the seventh best doctor in the world would he be a failure?"

It's not really a good comparison, is it?

If you were the 1000th best doctor, or 1000th best journalist then you are still making a valuable contribution to society. If you the 1000th best tennis player in the world, then you are cleaning up at your local tennis club and doing something else with the rest of your time.

People go on the tennis circuit with the hope of becoming the best in the world. That's not why most people become doctors or anything else. There is no way of determining the best doctor in the world (or indeed the best vascular surgeon or whatever) because it's not a competition, it's real life.

(This doesn't mean it's OK to criticise someone for coming in fourth. It's not. But it's still a poor analogy.)

 

[stephec]

It's not really a good comparison, is it?

If you were the 1000th best doctor, or 1000th best journalist then you are still making a valuable contribution to society. If you the 1000th best tennis player in the world, then you are cleaning up at your local tennis club and doing something else with the rest of your time.

People go on the tennis circuit with the hope of becoming the best in the world. That's not why most people become doctors or anything else. There is no way of determining the best doctor in the world (or indeed the best vascular surgeon or whatever) because it's not a competition, it's real life.

(This doesn't mean it's OK to criticise someone for coming in fourth. It's not. But it's still a poor analogy.)

I don't think he's claiming to make the same contribution to society as a doctor, more likely that as you say at the bottom there, it's unfair to label him a failure when he's risen so high.

Maybe it was the first thing that came into his head when being asked the same stupid questions for the thousandth time by journalists who he knows are only trying to trip him up for a quote?

 

[Paulus]

Well he is in the final now.
First british man to make the final, and also only the 10th ever to make the final of all 4 slams.

I think Fred Perry was the first British player to make the French open final. He won it in 1935.

 

[psmiffy]

Its all semantics - H. Briggs was the First British winner of the of the French Championships in 1891 - Fred Perry won in 1935 and Bunny Austen was runner up in the same in 1937 and was the last British man to appear in a Rolland-Garross Mens Singles Final - Murray is is the first British man to appear in the Final of the French Open

 

[AndyRM]

Could be his year, Serena having just lost the women's final for the first time

Or he'll bottle it and get hammered by Djokovic as mostly happens

Mostly? Murray rarely takes a beasting off Djokovic.

Though I do agree he can be a bottle merchant, but then he's a Hibs fan, so when it crashes it does so in fairly spectacular fashion, perhaps as an homage to his team?

 

[vickster]

Rarely? I was being kind Ok maybe he doesn't get hammered, but he does lose most. he did beat him a few weeks ago somewhere or other

 

[AndyRM]

Rarely? I was being kind Ok maybe he doesn't get hammered, but he does lose most. he did beat him a few weeks ago somewhere or other

Italy. Straight sets.

 

[vickster]

Italy. Straight sets.

I wish him luck for today

 

[AndyRM]

I wish him luck for today

It's a hard one to call.

Neither have won it.

Murray beat the defending champion and has had the harder route to the final which means he's in form but possibly knackered.

Djokovic has had an easier ride, though this is the last Slam he needs to have won all of them so he's going to be determined.

Murray in 4.

 

[psmiffy]

On form, and history you would have to say a Djokovic win – Djokovic wants this badly – needs to continue writing history as the best tennis player of all time - and he will also want to keep Murray in his box – however it is likely to go down to who is fittest or the least tired after two weeks tennis – being half a step slow is the difference between being able to make a good shot and a great shot – the match will be decided by a few points here and there.

That Murray has been able to improve his performances on clay to such an extent that he is featuring in finals is an achievement in itself – it has probably taken him two years to get fit after his back surgery – remarkable that he won two slams carrying a back problem –

Notwithstanding losing in the Australian final when possibly mentally he was not on his game due to the impending birth of his daughter and the problems his FIL had – plus being decidedly not as fit as he usually is on his return to the tour after his daughter’s birth he seems to be on an upward trajectory – Maybe today is the day that he will at the very least cement his position in the rankings as the No. 2 and maybe even provide him a springboard to more triumphs in the future.

 

[AndyRM]

I didn't know it was on ITV, bonus!

Though Djokovic has broken Murray in the first game, and the crowd are definitely on his side.

And as I type Murray has broken back! Long afternoon ahead troops.

 

[AndyRM]

Adverts ruin sport. Totally pulled out of the moment, the tension, the atmosphere...

Think I'll go back to the radio in the garden.

The irony of my opening sentiments is not lost on me.

 

[psmiffy]

Murray one set up - rattled Djokovic early in the set - Djokovic raised his game - But Murray hung on

 

[psmiffy]

Second set to Djokovic - continued at a high level and tightened up his game - Djokovic on top