….to go out of the Australian Open at the first round stage. It’s all so depressingly familiar isn’t it? The latest great white hope of ‘British’ tennis cruises in to this tournament with an ATP tour win under his belt, seeded no 9 in the world and in great shape to stake a massive claim for his first Grand Slam win. Oh yeh? Well he was soundly beaten in 4 sets by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga ranked 38th – a tough opponent, by all accounts, but he’s not Federer is he? And so it goes for British tennis hopes.
Except Murray always seems to resent this British stuff preferring to regard himself as Scottish first and foremost. Fair enough son. But don’t play in the Davis Cup and don’t be so cynical as to enjoy the many benefits of an adoring largely English fan base if that’s how you really, really feel. Of course that’s not going to happen any time soon. But I tell what I would suggest Andrew;
that you get a decent hair-cut (I know, I know; I’m style-challenged but I have no options) because it looks like your mum still cuts your hair at the moment and I’d shave off those pathetic excuses for side-burns. You’re nearly 21 but you style’s stuck in that crap 15 year old look that we all went through trying to appear old enough to get in the local pub. Maybe we’ll see a new more grown-up Andrew Murray at that point, mature enough to become one of the world’s truly great players, irregardless of his roots.
pp
Pasta Paulie 
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I think the best thing to do is for him to have Scottish based sponsorship only and be seen on regional tv. He’s an oik. Pretty good at tennis so far but utherly graceless and charmless.
so, there won’t be any “Murray Hill” in Wimbledon?
Hi Mr
I certainly don’t think he did himself any favours with his comments about English football, and will grant you that he is a fairly charmless nerk – but it could be argued that he is a product of his sport.
Tennis is played throughout the country at club, county and regional levels, yet we continue to see the likes of the Murray boys, ‘Tiger’ Tim and prior to that John Lloyd – are they not all products of a certain type of upbringing.
Looking at the Uk/British top 5 male players we have (according to the LTA’s own list)
1. Andy Murray
2. Alex Bogdanovic (Pushed by his parents into a British Passport)
3. Jamie Baker (ACtually seems like a decent lad, albeit another Scot)
4. Tim Henman – Retired Sept 2007 (why is he still on their list?)
5. Richard Bloomfield (who!)
There is only Murray in the ATP top 100 (next is Bgdanovic at 180!).
It’s a sad fact that Tennis at the highest level is a true minority sport in the UK, spoilt by the blazers and ties who run it, protected by Lord Bufton-Tufton of Old Values, supported by a disproportionate level of governments sports funding. can you ever envisage a time when a Steven Gerrard character could make it in the current set up of the sport?
If tennis is ever going to re-establish itself in the nations heart it has to dispense with its ego, loose the old school values and encourage development from the grassroots, whatever type of rubbishe they may be cited in.
CC
and has anybody got a clue as to who the british no 1 is in women’s tennis?
no? me neither. it’s a pretty sad state of affairs made worse by murray being such a prat.
pp
and has anybody got a clue as to who the british no 1 is in women’s tennis?
no? me neither. it’s a pretty sad state of affairs made worse by murray being such a prat. at least we’ve got the situation at newcastle to keep us amused
pp
Hey PP
According to the LTA the top 5 women are;
Katie O’Brien
British Number 1
WTA Ranking 125
Anne Keothavong
British Number 2
WTA Ranking 131
Elena Baltacha
British Number 3
WTA Ranking 179
Naomi Cavaday
British Number 4
WTA Ranking 189
Melanie South
British Number 5
WTA Ranking 212
Any the wiser?
CC
hi cc
i can honestly say i have only heard of baltacha but thought she had finished pro tennis because of injury. the others ..nada.
we aren’t going to be troubling the trophy engravers at the grand slams any time soon are we?
pp