Andy Murray's Wait for a Grand Slam Can End at Wimbledon

If his success at Queen’s Club last week is anything to go by, then Britain’s Andy Murray could be standing at the threshold of winning a first ever "Grand Slam" over the next couple of weeks at Wimbledon.

Murray proved beyond any reasonable doubt at Queen's that he has the game to win on the Wimbledon grass, and that win will provide much of the confidence and self-belief that the Scot has been accused of lacking in the past.

A semifinalist at the Wimbledon Championship for the last two years, Murray was beaten by Andy Roddick in 2009 and by champion Rafael Nadal 12 months ago, but he is much better form this year, and provided he makes no mistakes until he reaches the last four, he will hold every chance no matter which of his biggest rivals he faces, whether it be Nadal, Novak Djokovic or Roger Federer.

Murray appears to have matured a lot this year, just in time for this year’s championship. He took a mauling in the final of the Australian Open at the hands of Djokovic in January, but he has seldom played worse than he did in the Melbourne final and has shown signs of learning from that experience.

He went through Queen’s with a smile on his face and when he was put under pressure in the final against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, he found the answers and responded accordingly.

In his semifinal at Queen’s against Roddick, Murray played some of the most devastating grass court tennis ever seen at the club. Roddick himself had come into the last four in great form having demolished his first three opponents. However, Murray produced a ‘master class,’ which ‘blew away' the American in two straight sets with the loss of only four games.

Indeed the big serving ‘A-Rod’ failed to even ‘ace’ Murray during the match, something that is unheard of. If Murray plays to that standard at Wimbledon, then they might as well engrave his name on the trophy now because there is no player in the world who would have stood up to him, especially given as close to home-field advantage as any player will ever get, playing on a stage where the British fans will not be reserved in showing support for their compatriot.

The win came after Murray’s brilliant performance on the clay at Roland Garros in the French Open Championship, where he lost a close fought semi final against Nadal. That was his best ever performance on the only clay court major and certainly provided the boost he needed coming into Queen’s and Wimbledon on his preferred surface.

All he needs to do is continue his winning ways and hope that he suffers no injury. He will be seeded four at the All England Club, but until the seeding and the draw is known, he will have to wait to discover who his likely semifinal opponent will be.

It was 1936 when a ‘Brit’ last won the men's singles at Wimbledon, that was, of course, the great Fred Perry, who won the title for three years running. There is no doubt that Murray has it within him to re-write the history books and emulate Perry because ‘at the end of the day,’ Murray is far too good of a player not to win a Slam.

In fact if he retires only ever having won one, it would be regarded by him as a failure, which is one of the reasons why he can strike this year.

It's a bold prediction and one that many probably won agree with, but I'm predicting that Andy Murray will be Wimbledon Men's Singles Champion 2011!