John McEnroe (right) says Andy Murray's playing on grass makes him a contender at Wimbledon. Credit: Getty Images/Clive Brunskill
Andy Murray is among the top dozen Wimbledon contenders, according to John McEnroe, who also advises tennis fans to «focus on the positives» of the 36-year-old's remarkable comeback after career-threatening hip surgery.
Murray Mk II may not be a match for the player who lifted the Gentlemen's Singles Trophy in 2013 and 2016, but he remains a cunning operator on the grass. And even with that metal hip installed, McEnroe thinks Murray still moves better on the surface than 90 percent of the field.
«They're doing crazy things now, medics,» McEnroe said. who will commentate on Wimbledon for the BBC. “I don’t know how he even plays.
“But I put him in the top 10 players who understand what it takes to compete and excel on grass. If he gets a couple of breaks here and there, who knows what might happen? win? It's a serious matter, but you never know.»
“Andy is the best at understanding the nuances of grass. In fact I have been pleasantly surprised by his improved movement over the last couple of years. Instead of focusing on the cons, people should focus on the pros because this guy loves the game. He's a Hall of Famer with 11 Grand Slam finals who wants to come out on his own terms.»
«He put his whole heart and soul into trying to come back and be a better player, and it was slower than he wanted. I'm sure it was incredibly frustrating.
“But I can also tell you that with six kids of your own, getting some sleep is a good thing. He has four kids and it will keep you awake at night. If you're going to one or two tournaments, this mix will probably be useful.»
Andy Murray is back at Wimbledon with two wins this summer on grass. Photo: PA/Nigel French. call. Nevertheless, McEnroe believes that — at least in this matter — the traditionalist values of Wimbledon cannot last long. Tournaments are supposed to keep players, and there are vanishingly few players who trust people more than machines.
«I think that's where it's headed,» McEnroe said. I don't think there are two ways. When asked if the human factor would be missed, he replied: “There are other ways for players to interact. It's not just the linesmen.»
“With [Ilie] Năstase, when they first had Cyclops [an automated system for evaluating the service line], I thought, 'No, they have Cyclops, we can't dispute the call!' And he's like, «Macaroni, don't worry, we can come up with something, there are other things.»
«So, for me, it's kind of a case in that. If you have precision equipment, sorry, you should use it. Maybe I wouldn't be talking to you now because of the antics [that made McEnroe famous].
“Perhaps I would have won more, but I would have been more boring. Hard to say. But if you told me at 18, «They have a system where they make all the calls right,» I would definitely want that.»
«Radukan doesn't want to be a one-hit wonder»
McEnroe's commentary may not be as fiery as his infamous outbursts on the court, but it retains an element of fearlessness. Two years ago, he drew widespread criticism for his comments on Emma Răducanu's departure from Wimbledon.
The moment Radukanu withdrew from her fourth-round bout with Aley Tomlyanovic, McEnroe suggested «it was too much,» a comment he sticks to this day.
< p>He still backs the UK's most charismatic young player, who won the US Open a couple of months later. However, he was concerned about Radukan's recent difficulties, which included three separate operations in late April and early May. has undergone wrist and ankle surgery since last touring in April
“Look, she won a major that 99% or more of the players can’t say,” McEnroe explained. “But you also don't want to be a one-hit wonder. So it's going to be a long way back because she had to start all over again.
“When she won the Open. I was surprised that she let her trainer go right after that. You don't change the winning formula. At least wait a couple of majors. Then, if it doesn't work out, okay, let's move on. I never sat down and talked to her, so I don't quite understand why such decisions were made.”
“But we could see when she didn't take the court a few months earlier at Wimbledon that she felt pressured and stressed. Almost anyone. And then she did an incredible job with it [in New York]. Now it has been more enlarged. So you sympathize with her. You want her to be able to enjoy it — the process and the journey that's going on.»
«Sue is a legend, incredible in what she's done»
Finally, McEnroe addressed the absence of Sue Barker, Veteran Host, with whom he worked alongside at Wimbledon for over a decade, and to whom he paid a heartfelt tribute last year on Center Court.
“It's going to be a bummer,” he said. “Sue is a legend, incredible in what she has done. So there will be a void. It's like when [Bjorn] Borg wasn't playing. For us it was a huge event.
“She just makes life easier for everyone around. And she did this for 25 years or so. So it's a difficult move. Let's see what happens. The old cliché says, «All good things must come to an end.» And God bless her. I hope she comes and says hello.”
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