Andy Murray:The Melbourne Meltdown

“Andy,your too good a player not to win a Grand Slam.” -Roger Federer

As one man wept in sorrow the other watched as the scene from a year was being replayed in front of of his very eyes.Indeed Roger Federer could relate to Andy Murray’s misery.Exactly a year ago on this very night,Federer had been forced to swallow the bitter pill of defeat.Insides writhing with agony,he walked up to accept the runners–up shield.Bruised,battered and vanquished from the top of the men's game,Federer wept as his arch rival,the young Spaniard by the name of Rafael Nadal accepted the Norman-Brookes trophy and stood tall as the Australian Open champion.

Back to this year.Andy Murray,the 22 year old Scot had been dismissed Federer in straight sets.Prior to the final,Murray had fancied his chances.He had been playing the best tennis of his life,evident from the way he had blasted the defending champion Nadal off the court for the duration of two sets.Murray looked numb,dumbfounded by the ease with which he had been swept aside by Federer.

Since that night,Murray has looked out of sorts.The innate court sense,the slow dissection of the opponents game has been absent.In fact,it looked as if Murray didn’t even know what he was doing on the court since that ill fated encounter against Federer in Australia.

Surprising defeats to to players he usually owns  left Andy pondering whether he still loved the game.Clay is not his favoured surface and add to the fact it is a surface that brings out any weakness that may be hidden on the faster surfaces,early defeats at all four clay court events were not surprising then,given the circumstances.However the manner in which these defeats occurred were shocking.Only at Madrid did we see a glimpse of the Murray of old.Blasted of the court by Tomas Berdych at the French Open sent Andy back to England to hone his game for the grass.

As we roll towards Wimbledon,one can only hope that Andy gets it together in time for The Championships at the All England Club.For this time he faces not only  6 time champion and grass court legend Roger Federer and his conqueror from last year in Andy Roddick but also a rejuvenated Majorcan who vows to play his 'best Wimbledon ever' and snatch back a crown he never lost.

With phenomenal court coverage second to none,great feel at the net and one of the best backhands on Tour,we all know the game to hoist the golden trophy is there.
The only question-Is the mind?