People Say I'm Much Smarter Than Them Says Murray

After missing the tournament in Madrid because of a back injury Murray is now in Rome.

The Brit arrives fresh at Foro Italico having decided to sit out in Madrid last week. A minor back injury was the official reason but Murray indicated he just wanted a rest

“It was my decision to stop playing,... People have been saying that I was much smarter than they were."

http://www.internazionalibnlditalia.com/News/Tennis/2012/Tournament/Murray-Sunday.aspx

Oh Andy!

Yeah, I'm sure Federer and Berdych are hugely envious.

Rather silly by Murray, who seems to have no idea how to win influence. Insulting big people in the sport isn't really clever, it's just following Djokovioc a bit like a schoolboy might.

I do agree with resting though, absolutely the right thing to do.

HE, it's not like you to trawl through the tennis sites in search of a throwaway, jokey comment by Murray and turn it into a serious topic headline.
Er, no, hang on...

Andy Murray tends to inflate his own chances and talent in front of the cameras and microphones.

When it is pointed out to him that he has yet to win a grand slam title he points to the "era" he is playing in, suggesting that in any other era he would be a multi-slam holder.

I think he does this in order to convince himself that he is a champion and potential grand slam champion. It is also I believe part of a defense mechanism he has when dealing with a potentially "threatening" media.

That is fine, but he is being naive in publicly showing his own insecurities to his opponents - who tend to keep their own uncertainties to themselves.

Personally I think it is a mistake, but I think it is just part of the mentality that has rather limited him in terms of training, preparing and performing at the very highest of levels. That is, I am convinced he did have the talent to win a grand slam title, but because of the above limits in his vision and attitude, he hasn't been able to "kick on" from the early promise and achievement he showed when making it into the top 10 and then top 5, in 2007 and 2008 respectively.

At an individual level Andy Murray has of course made it in life - a multi-millionnaire, with a celebrity status that will keep him on our television screens for the next fifty years.

For me though, it would be nice to see a deserving British grand slam champion, male or female. I think Murray still has opportunities and I hope his alliance with Ivan Lendl will do the trick.

Andy seems to speculate publicly about the future too much. Look at all the talk on here about Federers ranking yet the man himself will barely discuss it, just talks about being excited and taking care of himself.

In this case he hasn't said much, just jumped into the Madrid thing and reaffirmed he's in Nole's gang.

That smacks of "I told you so", he really has a high opinion of himself.

Let's be honest his only chance of slam victory came and went losing to Roddick in a semi final

Good post Nore Staat, thoughtful & and well-balanced.

Sometimes I feel that the naivety you mention (wrt his interviews and public comments) stems perhaps from an admirable wish to be open and speak his mind. But equally I can't help thinking that even a slight tweak in his pronouncements on specific issues could put him in a better light. For example, as you say, he has to deal with the constant, and doubtless annoying, questions about his lack of a Slam so far, and inevitably looks for new ways to respond as time goes on.

The most recent reaction - ie "in any other era I would have been a multi-Slam winner by now" may, or may not, be a realistic assessment. We shall never know, we are where we are. BUT, his words do imply a big assumption and one which in the eyes of many, borders on an inflated sense of self-esteem. If I were his PR man I would have been urging Andy to take just a slightly more restrained stance, such as "in any other era, who knows what more I might have won by now....?"

Like you, I too would like to think that Lendl will, in time (well, fairly soon ....ideally !) get him to the promised land. There's a big part of me that says he deserves it.

*************************************************
** BOILERPLATE RESPONSE FROM OUTRAGED MURRAY FAN **
*************************************************

1) Federer sucks. He's just so smug isn't he, it makes my blood boil.
2) Murray will win several slams once his game moves out of transition.
3) Andy's a millionaire, so "whatevs".

Murray:

He has an excuse for everything...

- and an answer for nothing

reckoner wrote:*************************************************
** BOILERPLATE RESPONSE FROM OUTRAGED MURRAY FAN **
*************************************************

1) Federer sucks. He's just so smug isn't he, it makes my blood boil.
2) Murray will win several slams once his game moves out of transition.
3) Andy's a millionaire, so "whatevs".

I can't imagine who you mean......

reckoner wrote:*************************************************
** BOILERPLATE RESPONSE FROM OUTRAGED MURRAY FAN **
*************************************************

1) Federer sucks. He's just so smug isn't he, it makes my blood boil.
2) Murray will win several slams once his game moves out of transition.
3) Andy's a millionaire, so "whatevs".

I say it this side and it comes out that....