As Andy Murray thumps his way into the Cincinnati Masters final, I thought I’d blog my thoughts on the current state of men’s tennis.
Murray will face the winner of Novak Djokovic or Tomas Berdych. There’s no Nadal and there’s no Federer. They were knocked out in the quarter finals. Djokovic is undoubtedly the best player in the world at the moment – he’s lost only once (to Federer in the French Open Semi finals), but Federer is the greatest player of all time and Nadal is the greatest clay court player ever.
But there absence shows the strength of the men’s game at the moment. There isn’t one player who’s significantly better and has been for years. Djokovic won only his second and third Grand Slam’s this year. He won his first in 2008 and has been the No. 3 in the world for years. Yet this year he has stepped up.
But it’s not just him. Federer and Nadal are vulnerable. The aura of invincibility around them both has done. Federer was beat in Cincinnati by Mardy Fish, Nadal by Berdych. There is a feeling in the men’s game at the moment that anyone can beat anyone on a given day. The time when Nadal could just turn up and play sub-standard and thrash his opponent are gone. They have to be on his guard.
Where does this leave Murray? He’s the best British player we’ve had for generations, yet that Grand Slam seems to elude him. In the three Grand Slam final’s he’s been in, he’s been blown away. But by player’s at the top of their game. There’s no shame in that. I still believe he’ll him a Grand Slam – either in Australia or America. The Hard Court’s there suit his game better.
In contrast, the women’s game is so different. This is not a great era of women’s tennis. There is no Navratilova or Graf. Grand Slams are so unpredictable that anyone could win. The world No.1 hasn’t won a Grand Slam in years. The William’s sisters prove the weakness of the women’s game by the fact they can play basically just the Grand Slams and win them.
This is a golden age for men’s tennis. And we should enjoy it. Federer can’t have many more year’s left in him, and Nadal’s body often fails him. Add in Djokovic, Murray and a handful of others and we have the most competitive era of men’s tennis potentially ever.
One thing’s for certain – I’ll be watching.
Murray will face the winner of Novak Djokovic or Tomas Berdych. There’s no Nadal and there’s no Federer. They were knocked out in the quarter finals. Djokovic is undoubtedly the best player in the world at the moment – he’s lost only once (to Federer in the French Open Semi finals), but Federer is the greatest player of all time and Nadal is the greatest clay court player ever.
But there absence shows the strength of the men’s game at the moment. There isn’t one player who’s significantly better and has been for years. Djokovic won only his second and third Grand Slam’s this year. He won his first in 2008 and has been the No. 3 in the world for years. Yet this year he has stepped up.
But it’s not just him. Federer and Nadal are vulnerable. The aura of invincibility around them both has done. Federer was beat in Cincinnati by Mardy Fish, Nadal by Berdych. There is a feeling in the men’s game at the moment that anyone can beat anyone on a given day. The time when Nadal could just turn up and play sub-standard and thrash his opponent are gone. They have to be on his guard.
Where does this leave Murray? He’s the best British player we’ve had for generations, yet that Grand Slam seems to elude him. In the three Grand Slam final’s he’s been in, he’s been blown away. But by player’s at the top of their game. There’s no shame in that. I still believe he’ll him a Grand Slam – either in Australia or America. The Hard Court’s there suit his game better.
In contrast, the women’s game is so different. This is not a great era of women’s tennis. There is no Navratilova or Graf. Grand Slams are so unpredictable that anyone could win. The world No.1 hasn’t won a Grand Slam in years. The William’s sisters prove the weakness of the women’s game by the fact they can play basically just the Grand Slams and win them.
This is a golden age for men’s tennis. And we should enjoy it. Federer can’t have many more year’s left in him, and Nadal’s body often fails him. Add in Djokovic, Murray and a handful of others and we have the most competitive era of men’s tennis potentially ever.
One thing’s for certain – I’ll be watching.
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