Grand Slam Victory Number One Is Brewing For Murray

Andy Murray is getting ever closer to that elusive first grand slam victory. Former British number one, Tim Henman believes he can do it, the British public are now behind him and all thats left is for Murray to take his game up to the next gear.

The Scot has not always had the support of the whole of the British public. Obviously he has always been popular in Scotland but in England it has only been the last couple of years where our hearts have started to warm to the world number four.

Comments before the 2006 FIFA World Cup about wanting Trinidad and Tobago to beat England didnt help his status with many English tennis fans, including myself still supporting our grass court fighter, Tim Henman.

Henman was special to British tennis. His eleven year presence on the pro tour kept the public on the edge of their seats. The tension, the excitement, the agony, he was our nearly man and a true great in British tennis.

Murray's emergence into the big time as a senior player in 2005 was still a time when Henman ruled and the Englishmen's dominance still remained in 2007 when Murray pulled out of Wimbeldon due to injury and Henman ranked 125 in the world put on a show.

The nearly man beat Carlos Moya 6-3, 1-6, 5-7, 6-2, 13-11 in the first round to capture our British hearts once more. Although Henman was knocked out in the second round by Feliciano Lopez 6-7, 6-7, 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 it was his last horrah. A time to remember Tim but bless the rising star of Andy Murray.

Murray since then has rarely let us down, being a finalist in the US Open and the Australian Open and a semi-finalist at Wimbledon last year. Murray is so nearly there, in fact I may even say he is closer than Henman was.

Murray now has the missing ingredient. He has the whole of Britain behind him. That match against Stanislav Wawrinka in the fourth round at Wimbledon last year had a Henman like atmosphere. Everyone was behind him, everyone wanted him to win.

These next few years are important for Murray. He is a great player and with a grand slam under his belt who knows what the future or maybe this summer could bring for Andy.