48 replies to this topic

[Bedford Roughyed]

Not a bad final so far!

Murray might just do it!

[Bedford Roughyed]

US Open champion, Olympic Gold medal and Wimbledon finalist, and he still might not be the BBC sports personality!

[distantdog]

A fantastic achievement. I hope it's the first of many.

[gingerjon]

Watched the first set but then sleep defeated me ... great result.

[Futtocks]

Apparently, Fred Perry also won his first Grand Slam title on the 10th of September.

Couldn't stay awake for the whole thing (wine) but what a match it was! What a Summer of British sport!

[John Drake]

Perfect timing by Andy Murray.

Just when we were all supposed to be feeling a little bit glum after the end of the London 2012 experience, and he goes and wins his first Grand Slam title to keep us smiling that little bit longer.

[High Peak Rhino]

Well at long last I shall stop calling him "Scottish Timmy" and use his real name.
Great result, the quality of the top 4 players in the mens game at present is awesome.

[West Country Eagle]

Stayed up and watched it, which I'm feeling a bit today, but it was worth it. A staggering match, full of drama, and defensive tennis that resembled two street fighters slugging it out to the death. In the end, Murray just had enough in his legs in that final set to squeak past Novak. Given that he'd lost a two set lead, to raise himself to win the decider was phenomenal. Please, no more talk of him being a choker - this year he's proved that he has what it takes to win big finals.

Now he has beaten one of the "big three" (it's probably the "big four" now) in a Grand Slam Final, it should give him a lot of confidence moving forward. He knows what it takes to win. That should stand him in good stead in the next couple of years.

The pressure on him at Wimbeldon next year will be even more immense. Yes, he's laid the ghost of Fred Perry to rest, but that just makes it harder - the expectancy that he will win will grow even more. I hope he does it, if only to stop the desperation we get evert year from the Beeb. Come on Tim!

[Methven Hornet]

Stayed up and watched it, which I'm feeling a bit today, but it was worth it. A staggering match, full of drama, and defensive tennis that resembled two street fighters slugging it out to the death. In the end, Murray just had enough in his legs in that final set to squeak past Novak. Given that he'd lost a two set lead, to raise himself to win the decider was phenomenal. Please, no more talk of him being a choker - this year he's proved that he has what it takes to win big finals.

Now he has beaten one of the "big three" (it's probably the "big four" now) in a Grand Slam Final, it should give him a lot of confidence moving forward. He knows what it takes to win. That should stand him in good stead in the next couple of years.

The pressure on him at Wimbeldon next year will be even more immense. Yes, he's laid the ghost of Fred Perry to rest, but that just makes it harder - the expectancy that he will win will grow even more. I hope he does it, if only to stop the desperation we get evert year from the Beeb. Come on Tim!

Personally I hope he wins every Grand Slam event for the next five years except Wimbledon, just to wind up those who think Wimbledon is the be-all and end-all. (This is a joke by the way).

I'm glad that he's overcome what seemed to be a psychological battle when it came to Grand Slam finals (perhaps it wasn't, perhaps he just wasn't quite good enough and now he is) and I hope that he now goes on to achieve much more. He certainly seems to give Ivan Lendl a lot of credit, which brings me to something I heard of Radio Scotland this morning. They played a extract from a press conference, and while they didn't transmit the question it certainly seemed to be along the lines of "why wasn't he smiling". He explained that behind the scenes with his 'entourage' there had been plenty of emotion, smiles, laughter, but that now it was just starting to sink in he had a lot of things he was thinking about (and he was knackered). He then quipped that he had been have lessons on how to control his emotions from Lendl!

Andy showed at the Olympics that he is as happy with his British identity as he is with his Scottish one (which I trust will not stop any good-natured banter!). Having said that there has been a very special buzz about Scotland today - at work, amongst customers, people on the radio - and while there was obvious delight with performances at the Olympics and Paralympics over the summer, this win seems to be very special for many, many Scots. Not that anyone is under any illusions that he represents the strength of Scottish, or even British, tennis - he is just a Scots lad, and for us a reasonably local one at that, who has reached the top!

And I understand the people of Dunblane have a very special 'homecoming' lined up for him, something that will happen very soon I believe.

[Methven Hornet]

Well at long last I shall stop calling him "Scottish Timmy" and use his real name.
Great result, the quality of the top 4 players in the mens game at present is awesome.

Glad to hear that - Scottish Timmy does, sadly, have some unfortunate connotations that I'm sure you wouldn't want to be associated with. I don't know too much about tennis but he has been in the top four for quite a while now (hasn't he?) without really being equal with the others. After these two victories he is now a fully fledged member of the quartet.

[gingerjon]

Andy showed at the Olympics that he is as happy with his British identity as he is with his Scottish one (which I trust will not stop any good-natured banter!).

He does seem to be doing a good job of showing both English and Scottish people that it's possible to be a proud and defiant Scot and British.

And given that I believe he was in the school when the massacre occurred I'm hoping that the party in Dunblane is long and triumphant.

[Futtocks]

I don't know too much about tennis but he has been in the top four for quite a while now (hasn't he?) without really being equal with the others. After these two victories he is now a fully fledged member of the quartet.

He's been their equal (or better) in major tournaments and other ranking events, but yes, not quite come up to their level in Grand Slam finals. This shows that a Slam final is maybe more of a psychological barrier as a physical/technical one.Ivan Lendl looks to have been a very good choice as coach.

[1976PMJwires]

Amazing result - His win in the olympics was fantastic, made up for him and Scotland

[Methven Hornet]

He does seem to be doing a good job of showing both English and Scottish people that it's possible to be a proud and defiant Scot and British.

And given that I believe he was in the school when the massacre occurred I'm hoping that the party in Dunblane is long and triumphant.

He does seem to be doing a good job of showing both English and Scottish people that it's possible to be a proud and defiant Scot and British.

Yes, and given the stick he's received in the past I'm sure he's being very careful about how he portrays himself - either that or he's got a public relations coach to the equivalent standard of his tennis one!

As an aside, I think people in Scotland are, I suppose obviously, thinking about their identity given the flux over how to govern ourselves. As you say it is perfectly possible to be (or present yourself as) Scottish and British, proud and defiant or otherwise; some are Scottish more than British, or the other way around; others are one and not the other! Personally, I hope no matter what happens over the next few years that there remains a cultural Britishness at least.

As for Andy, he's answered his identity question - he's both - and people should leave it that (although I believe his wikipedia entry has alternated between "Scottish professional tennis player" and "British professional tennis player" quite a few times today ).

And given that I believe he was in the school when the massacre occurred I'm hoping that the party in Dunblane is long and triumphant.

Yes, I believe he was in the school, and yes, I think it will be long and triumphant. The town has been through the mill but this will be tremendous for everyone. His parents and grandparents still live there, indeed his gran was on the radio earlier talking, knowledgeably, about the game and also the reaction of local people. Good stuff!

I just hope his success inspires the national side tonight - perhaps that's pushing things a bit too far!

[Methven Hornet]

He's been their equal (or better) in major tournaments and other ranking events, but yes, not quite come up to their level in Grand Slam finals. This shows that a Slam final is maybe more of a psychological barrier as a physical/technical one.Ivan Lendl looks to have been a very good choice as coach.

I know very little about tennis but it seems to be very technical, very physical and extremely psychological. Your skills need to be honed, your stamina, strength, flexibility, etc need to be top quality, but that little, nagging doubt can destroy everything. Everything came right at the Olympics and it came together again last night. And Lendl reckons he can get a lot more out of him!

[Methven Hornet]

Amazing result - His win in the olympics was fantastic, made up for him and Scotland

[back to the future]

Made up for him,maybe now the only Fred Perry we hear about are the clothes

[Saintslass]

He does seem to be doing a good job of showing both English and Scottish people that it's possible to be a proud and defiant Scot and British.

I don't think the English British people had any problem accepting that. The problem lay with him and it was only a problem if he wanted any kind of real support from the English British people, which he clearly did (eventually?) because he played tennis under the British flag in London. And he got the English British support along with all the rest as a result, which he appeared to be genuinely thrilled by. Shows how tolerance works both ways IMO.

[steef]

Wouldn't be surprised if he's number 1 in the world soon. Federer has to start showing his age soon, there has to be doubts about Nadal's ability to stay fit enough to play for any length of time and Djokovic will have a job maintaining the last years form. He has got one of the biggest monkeys in world sport off his back, it will do him the world of good.

[Methven Hornet]

I don't think the English British people had any problem accepting that. The problem lay with him and it was only a problem if he wanted any kind of real support from the English British people, which he clearly did (eventually?) because he played tennis under the British flag in London. And he got the English British support along with all the rest as a result, which he appeared to be genuinely thrilled by. Shows how tolerance works both ways IMO.

The problem did not lie with him. It lay with the gutter press in London and the idiot-bigots who choose to get their truth from such rags.

Oh, and I thought you had a problem with him looking up at his family, friends and coach in the stands. Is he somehow to blame because you think this is an issue? I think not!

IMO