Andy Murray Hopes Break Will Do Some Good
British no. 1 and world no. 4, Andy Murray, says he hopes that a break away from the game will do him some good before the US Open at the end of the summer.
Murray lost at Wimbledon at the semi-final stage for the second year in a row when he was knocked out by the eventual winner, Rafael Nadal, in straight sets. He was clearly distraught after the loss and promptly announced that he would take a short break from the game.
This was quickly described as a very good idea by a number of pundits in the sport who also commented on the fact that Murray looked even more upset than he did after he lost the final of the Australian Open to Roger Federer earlier in the year.
The break from the game should have a number of positives for the Scot because it will let him sit back and focus on key areas. However, there is a slight suggestion that it could have an opposite effect on Murray's game as other pundits have also said that Murray should have been back on the practice court the very next day.
Reflection
Taking a break away from the game means two things for Andy Murray: it allows him to focus on what went wrong at Wimbledon and where he can improve, and it gives him time to clear his mind of anything remotely connected to tennis.
In terms of his game, there is very little that he can work on because many will agree that he looked in very good form and condition at Wimbledon. The only small problem that he can eradicate from his game is the low percentage of first serves he hits.
It looks like a very good idea that he decided to walk away from tennis for a little while because there is only so long a top player can take losing big games without getting fed up with the sport. Physically, a break will allow him to come back stronger; mentally, time with friends and family will allow him to be just a little bit happier.
Murray said: "I work hard, and I hope it doesn't happen again. I've normally played well in the American hard-court stretch after Wimbledon, so hopefully I'll play well again now."
Bad Idea
Although the majority agree that it was a good idea that Murray got away from the game, it is important to consider the argument that it may not have been his best option.
Grand Slam champions of the past have said the only way they knew how to deal with the disappointment of losing a big match was to go out and practice on the things that went wrong the very next day.
Therefore, the problems were confined and dealt with very quickly allowing a more complete game to develop. However, the French Open and Wimbledon are very close together and Murray was not alone in having a little time off.
Betting Advice
Andy Murray is a very good player and he has said himself that the American hard courts are his favourite and his best surface. There will be warm-up events so watch these to judge the state of mind that Murray is in.
He is going to win a Grand Slam tournament at some point and if you like the way he is reacting after Wimbledon then don't be afraid to have a punt on him. He will be more determined than ever to succeed and you should keep this at the front of your mind when betting on him.
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