Tennis great Newcombe tips Murray to claim Aus Open
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Better and better: Andy Murray, who beat Roger Federer 4-6, |
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Scot Andy Murray is ready to break a 73-year British Grand Slam drought at this month's Australian Open, tennis great John Newcombe said Friday.
Murray shocked Roger Federer 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) when he beat him at the World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi yesterday.u00a0
Newcombe predicted the World No 4 would break through for his maiden major title and become the first British man to win a Grand Slam event since Fred Perry in 1936.
Local bookmakers have Murray an equal second favourite along with Rafael Nadal and defending champion Novak Djokovic for the January 19-February 1 Australian Open in Melbourne, with Federer the favourite.
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But Newcombe (64) said while there were major questions over Nadal, Federer and Djokovic, Murray was well placed to break through following a strong end to 2008.u00a0
Newcombe said Murray, who lost the US Open final to Federer after upsetting Nadal along the way, was poised to go one better in Melbourne.
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"He got to No 4u00a0 in the world, but the way he was playing at the end of the year, you think in 12 months' time he'll be close to number one," Newcombe said before Murray's good day in Abu Dhabi.
"How will Nadal's injuries go with his knees? And Djokovic, let's see how he handles the nerves when he's defending his Grand Slam title.
"And with Roger, I'm sure he's been doing some very serious training and realising he has to come up with something a bit extra, which sounds strange, but (he needs to) vary his game and come to the net a bit more.
"The way they finished last year, I wouldn't be surprised to see Murray. In my mind, he could be the guy who will step up and win."u00a0
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