Andy Murray is into the semi finals of the Surbiton Trophy where he is playing as number 1 seed (his ranking now sits at world number 67). Dan Evans won this event when it was last played in 2019.
Murray won his first three matches without dropping a set and now faces Denis Kudla (7th seed, world number 81) in his semi final.
The other semi final will be between Jordan Thompson (8th seed, world number 82) and either Otto Virtanen (qualifier, world number 375) or Ryan Peniston (Brit wildcard, world number 195).
I can’t help but get the feeling Raducanu is going to struggle to fulfil the expectations on her.
Just a gut feel but something isn’t right.
The expectations are probably utterly unrealistic. It would be crass and wrong to say she fluked her US Open win but I think fair to mention she had no real pressure or weight of expectation going into it. To win a slam before she has barely started on the WTA tour has given her instant fame, an immediate high ranking and all the attendant pressure going forward. She is really still only finding her way and just starting to adjust mentally and physically. When we get past this year's US open her ranking will probably plummet ( assuming she doesn't pull off a back to back miracle). She just needs to readjust, find some form and fitness and start gutsing her way back into contention. She may never win another slam even if she gets back to the top echelons, but I am sure she has enough basic talent to get back into the later stages of tournaments regularly in the future
Does she need to learn the difference between hurt and injured. ?
Agree, she may have developed a psychological problem of thinking she’s injured, a bit like a child trying to get out of p.e. but may be her way of coping with the pressure, remember the stomach cramps when she first made an impact at Wimbledon and had real expectations placed on her.
Think she needs to look at Coco Gauff’s trajectory and learn some lessons from that.
That was probably the original career plan. But you could ask how much Coco's measured progress, incremental improvement and mental stability might have been skewed by winning an early, unexpected and "premature" slam ?
She needs to sort herself out physically, as clearly her body can't cope with the strains of playing on the tour. A programme to build up her strength and conditioning.
I'm sure Andy Murray can help her, by showing her the level of work it took to get himself battle hardened
Murray beats Tsitsipas (no.1 seed and world number 5) in straight sets in Stuttgart. His first top five win since 2016.
Currently up to world no. 53. If he can beat Fucsovics or Kyrgios in the semi final, he’s inside the top 50. If he wins the tournament, he’ll be top 40.
With this and then Queens still to come, with a good couple of weeks, he *could* be seeded at Wimbledon.
Genuinely think he's got a bit of a chance of having a run at Wimbledon this year given who is missing.
Don't expect him to challenge for the title or anything but maybe the 2nd week.
On his day, tennis wise, he can give anyone a game still but physically and athletically he no longer appears to have the ability to play day in day out throughout a tournament.
Last week for example he lost to Denis Kudla in the semi final of the Surbiton Trophy largely because he ran out of gas physically. Won the first set but Kudla fought back and Andy, unlike a few years back, couldn't ride his good streak and come back again himself. Part of that could well be that he'd played 3 or more matches previously that week. For the first time since his hip op I believe.
Genuinely think he's got a bit of a chance of having a run at Wimbledon this year given who is missing.
Don't expect him to challenge for the title or anything but maybe the 2nd week.
On his day, tennis wise, he can give anyone a game still but physically and athletically he no longer appears to have the ability to play day in day out throughout a tournament.
Last week for example he lost to Denis Kudla in the semi final of the Surbiton Trophy largely because he ran out of gas physically. Won the first set but Kudla fought back and Andy, unlike a few years back, couldn't ride his good streak and come back again himself. Part of that could well be that he'd played 3 or more matches previously that week. For the first time since his hip op I believe.
I agree, that the concern is producing a string of performances, as big wins seem to take it out of his body
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Murray won his first three matches without dropping a set and now faces Denis Kudla (7th seed, world number 81) in his semi final.
The other semi final will be between Jordan Thompson (8th seed, world number 82) and either Otto Virtanen (qualifier, world number 375) or Ryan Peniston (Brit wildcard, world number 195).
Just a gut feel but something isn’t right.
It would be crass and wrong to say she fluked her US Open win but I think fair to mention she had no real pressure or weight of expectation going into it.
To win a slam before she has barely started on the WTA tour has given her instant fame, an immediate high ranking and all the attendant pressure going forward.
She is really still only finding her way and just starting to adjust mentally and physically.
When we get past this year's US open her ranking will probably plummet ( assuming she doesn't pull off a back to back miracle).
She just needs to readjust, find some form and fitness and start gutsing her way back into contention.
She may never win another slam even if she gets back to the top echelons, but I am sure she has enough basic talent to get back into the later stages of tournaments regularly in the future
But you could ask how much Coco's measured progress, incremental improvement and mental stability might have been skewed by winning an early, unexpected and "premature" slam ?
I'm sure Andy Murray can help her, by showing her the level of work it took to get himself battle hardened
Currently up to world no. 53. If he can beat Fucsovics or Kyrgios in the semi final, he’s inside the top 50. If he wins the tournament, he’ll be top 40.
With this and then Queens still to come, with a good couple of weeks, he *could* be seeded at Wimbledon.
Don't expect him to challenge for the title or anything but maybe the 2nd week.
Last week for example he lost to Denis Kudla in the semi final of the Surbiton Trophy largely because he ran out of gas physically. Won the first set but Kudla fought back and Andy, unlike a few years back, couldn't ride his good streak and come back again himself. Part of that could well be that he'd played 3 or more matches previously that week. For the first time since his hip op I believe.
Up to 53 in live ATP rankings.