Andy Murray: The Interview

Killing time before WTF draw and heading out to the gym, I googled Djokovic's name and stumbled upon an Andy Murray interview in Daily Mail.

Unfortunately, it's that time of the year (now there are two of those a year, first is , obviously Wimbledon) when tennis re-appears in Great Britain, and the masses need to be reminded of its existence.

And before the likes of Becker, Ivanisevic, McEnroe etc (they'll be all playing in Royal Albert Hall at the end of the month) start being asked bout Murray's chances of winning a slam, we'll be bombarded with various articles, photos and hopefully, some good puns in the headlines.

The interview was written by Martin Samuel, (sports journalist of the year - whatever that means) and it's quite decent.

I thought that Andy Murray deserves an article better than the current "b******s" incident one, or just an article to conuter-balance it: he talks about his unusal passion for boxing, being alone on the tour, and it's a good insight into a world of a dedicated tennis player and the struggles that brings.

Among the interesting things Murray said, these stand out to me:

"‘Like tennis, if you are prepared to sacrifice just a little more than your opponent, it will give you an advantage,’ he says. ‘If you’ve done the extra mile, you might have the better of him."

"In tennis, it is not the opponent you fear, it is the failure itself, knowing how near you were but just out of reach."

"Go to our national centre and you’ve got 10 different nationalities all coaching a different way. If we don’t get the results straight away, we panic and change direction. There is no confidence in our technique, no sense of sticking to an idea, no identity, no consistency in the way we teach tennis, so naturally there is no British style."


"‘We’ll get lucky every now and then and one might get through, but there is no form to our teaching, year after year, which is why we have no depth. To be among the best tennis-playing nations you must have identity."

"'All I would say is that a lot of the British ex-players who commentate have never experienced that particular type of stress on court, because they were never at the level where it was present. They don’t understand what it is like."

The link for the interview in full:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-2061541/Andy-Murray-interview-Martin-Samuel.htm

I had actually just been down to the paper shop and bought The Mail. I then saw the article and have just read it. Was going to post on it myself so thanks for doing so. IMO, like him or dislike him, it gives a good insight into his character, the way he thinks, and the commitment he has to trying to get to the very top.

I like the last bit a lot of British ex-players who commentate not understanding the pressure at the top level.

He's right. The likes of Petchy, Castle, Palmer, these guys were joke tennis players. The look like stalks, nothing like the incredible athletes that we see today. None of them had a BH that could live up to the current WTA players.

He's right. The likes of Petchy, Castle, Palmer, these guys were joke tennis players. The look like stalks, nothing like the incredible athletes that we see today. None of them had a BH that could live up to the current WTA players..

I don;t think that's relevant though. Pressure is pressure. Most of us have a sense of it. The pressure to keep one's job with family to feed could be much worse than the pressure a tennis player faces on court.

As Federer said, the pressure is created within oneself...not by the external factors.

I know Murray puts lots of pressure on himself cause he wants to achieve and he has done a good job so far but he is no different than most of us in that respect.

"‘Like tennis, if you are prepared to sacrifice just a little more than your opponent, it will give you an advantage,’ he says. ‘If you’ve done the extra mile, you might have the better of him."

I think that speaks volumes of the respect he must hold for Nadal, Federer and Djokovic on court.

He has 'too' much respect. I think it shows with his 'tentativeness' in those really big career defining moments in the Slam finals as well as being outplayed.

I don't mind Petchy or Castle as commentators. They are not quite so de-grading, and Petchy did have a crack at coaching. Cowan gets on my jubblies with his nonsense!

More quotes from the interview that I like:

‘Getting from 20 to five seems a bigger step than four to three, but the closer you are to top spot, the bigger the leap,’ Murray says. ‘It felt huge to move up this year because I knew it was such a significant improvement. It will be different the next time I get into a Grand Slam final.

I like it - no ifs, "next time"

Do you know that in Spain, at 18, your funding stops?’ he asks, pointedly. ‘From there, you get nothing that you cannot earn for yourself. We’re funding guys to 27, 28 — while in the most successful tennis nation in the world you’re basically on your own. Maybe there’s something in that.

Maybe there is.....

‘I think we as a nation expect to win and when we don’t we look for these big reasons. Why did Tim Henman not win Wimbledon? Why has Andy Murray not won Wimbledon? Well, sometimes you’re not quite good enough.'

It's a narrow line between having sufficient self-belief to do it and dealing with disappointing losses. Others talk about having too much respect for his opponents, but if it's for their hard work he shows every sign of wanting to out-match that.

barrystar wrote:

Do you know that in Spain, at 18, your funding stops?’ he asks, pointedly. ‘From there, you get nothing that you cannot earn for yourself. We’re funding guys to 27, 28 — while in the most successful tennis nation in the world you’re basically on your own. Maybe there’s something in that.

Maybe there is.....

I still can't grasp why there is funding for anyone. Buying shares in a persons success, sure, but charity? I mean, why?

bogbrush wrote:

barrystar wrote:

Do you know that in Spain, at 18, your funding stops?’ he asks, pointedly. ‘From there, you get nothing that you cannot earn for yourself. We’re funding guys to 27, 28 — while in the most successful tennis nation in the world you’re basically on your own. Maybe there’s something in that.

Maybe there is.....

I still can't grasp why there is funding for anyone. Buying shares in a persons success, sure, but charity? I mean, why?

Because as talented as one can get, to pay for coaching, travel expenses etc... requires lots of money. As a parent I can tell you it costs a leg here even way before they reach the circuit. In France it would have cost us €49 per year (the yearly subs for a junior in most clubs)! And for that money the coach even take the children to tournaments while parents can go relax and enjoy their weekends.

The main problem is that in teh UK clubs are essentially private (therefore difficult to control for the LTA what's going on inside) whereas in France they belong to the council.

Tenez wrote:

bogbrush wrote:

barrystar wrote:

Do you know that in Spain, at 18, your funding stops?’ he asks, pointedly. ‘From there, you get nothing that you cannot earn for yourself. We’re funding guys to 27, 28 — while in the most successful tennis nation in the world you’re basically on your own. Maybe there’s something in that.

Maybe there is.....

I still can't grasp why there is funding for anyone. Buying shares in a persons success, sure, but charity? I mean, why?

Because as talented as one can get, to pay for coaching, travel expenses etc... requires lots of money. As a parent I can tell you it costs a leg here even way before they reach the circuit. In France it would have cost us €49 per year (the yearly subs for a junior in most clubs)! And for that money the coach even take the children to tournaments while parents can go relax and enjoy their weekends.

The main problem is that in teh UK clubs are essentially private (therefore difficult to control for the LTA what's going on inside) whereas in France they belong to the council.

Don't even start me on tennis clubs....

Most clubs I know and have played at cost around £50 a year for juniors to join. Most are begging for more members and most have coaching.

I get fed up blaming the clubs - they are NOT expensive to join - it is the lack of willingness of people to get off their b U m s to go out and play

Riskysports wrote:Most clubs I know and have played at cost around £50 a year for juniors to join. Most are begging for more members and most have coaching.

I get fed up blaming the clubs - they are NOT expensive to join - it is the lack of willingness of people to get off their b U m s to go out and play

DO you get weekly coaching for kids for £50?

Riskysports wrote:Most clubs I know and have played at cost around £50 a year for juniors to join. Most are begging for more members and most have coaching.

I get fed up blaming the clubs - they are NOT expensive to join - it is the lack of willingness of people to get off their b U m s to go out and play

£240 just to be a member. White only. If you are over 60, it helps, too, AND you are only allowed to be a Murray fan.

As for kids, there is a Chinese woman who trains children, she can't even speak English properly....

Not sure about the coaching, they do have sessions for groups, but will check the costs and get back to you.

There is not point just looking at the big clubs, some of them are very expensive. There are thousands of smaller clubs (Like mine, 5 courts, 50 adult members, 100 junior members) that want more people to join and encourge group play, supply balls, etc

Our country is lazy, that is the biggest issue we have in all sports

For having lived there and here I think I can clearly see the difference between the 2 systems. It's essentially a question of who owns the club. Here in London, and most other clubs I have joined, members own the club. In France the club belongs to the state (commonly).

That means the ITF (France) has a control of the clubs and its members. The LTA has no dealing with the private clubs. Well it;s changing and they are doing their best to force the BTM cards on all members and have some control over the members of those private clubs but it's not easy because of the "private" set up.

In our club (London) our juniors members have tripled in the last 6 years. Tennis has certainly become popular in our neighbourhood but some members worked hard for that as the LTA had no leverage at the time.

It;s changing but not easy. The difference in France is that because all kids who join have coaching from day one, they all get a decent level and technique, that has a huge effect on teh pyramid base which gets to a good level whereever you play in France. That pyramid base is a good trampoline to reach higher levels under the right coaches.

Tenez wrote:For having lived there and here I think I can clearly see the difference between the 2 systems. It's essentially a question of who owns the club. Here in London, and most other clubs I have joined, members own the club. In France the club belongs to the state (commonly).

That means the ITF (France) has a control of the clubs and its members. The LTA has no dealing with the private clubs. Well it;s changing and they are doing their best to force the BTM cards on all members and have some control over the members of those private clubs but it's not easy because of the "private" set up.

In our club (London) our juniors members have tripled in the last 6 years. Tennis has certainly become popular in our neighbourhood but some members worked hard for that as the LTA had no leverage at the time.

It;s changing but not easy. The difference in France is that because all kids who join have coaching from day one, they all get a decent level and technique, that has a huge effect on teh pyramid base which gets to a good level whereever you play in a France. That pyramid base is a good trampoline to reach higher levels under the right coaches.

It's same in Switzerland.

noleisthebest wrote:

Tenez wrote:For having lived there and here I think I can clearly see the difference between the 2 systems. It's essentially a question of who owns the club. Here in London, and most other clubs I have joined, members own the club. In France the club belongs to the state (commonly).

That means the ITF (France) has a control of the clubs and its members. The LTA has no dealing with the private clubs. Well it;s changing and they are doing their best to force the BTM cards on all members and have some control over the members of those private clubs but it's not easy because of the "private" set up.

In our club (London) our juniors members have tripled in the last 6 years. Tennis has certainly become popular in our neighbourhood but some members worked hard for that as the LTA had no leverage at the time.

It;s changing but not easy. The difference in France is that because all kids who join have coaching from day one, they all get a decent level and technique, that has a huge effect on teh pyramid base which gets to a good level whereever you play in a France. That pyramid base is a good trampoline to reach higher levels under the right coaches.

It's same in Switzerland.

Except that one guy jumped bloody high there!

£50 a year??

Is that old currency?

The thing is RS I have played at clubs and also played on council run courts and on outdoor courts the standards of the clubs and council are disgraceful!! Why would someone pay £8 an hour for a standard of court you can find outside for free?

Most tennis professionals yes I accept at some stage in their progression played on delapertated courts, but not paying the same price that some clubs charge.

Yes, to start with no-one is going to become a champion paying £8 for an hour training in a local club. Those times are over when you coudl win 11 slams by learning tennis hitting against a wall...a la Borg.

I think it's an excellent, honest interview, one of the most insightful and genuinely revealing I've read from any tennis player

Good work by both Murray and the journo Martin Samuel

noleisthebest wrote:Killing time before WTF draw and heading out to the gym, I googled Djokovic's name and stumbled upon an Andy Murray interview in Daily Mail.

Unfortunately, it's that time of the year (now there are two of those a year, first is , obviously Wimbledon) when tennis re-appears in Great Britain, and the masses need to be reminded of its existence.

And before the likes of Becker, Ivanisevic, McEnroe etc (they'll be all playing in Royal Albert Hall at the end of the month)

You want to say that Boom Bomm Becker himself will be playing in the Aegon master?! Some news here....

Jeremy_Kyle wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:Killing time before WTF draw and heading out to the gym, I googled Djokovic's name and stumbled upon an Andy Murray interview in Daily Mail.

Unfortunately, it's that time of the year (now there are two of those a year, first is , obviously Wimbledon) when tennis re-appears in Great Britain, and the masses need to be reminded of its existence.

And before the likes of Becker, Ivanisevic, McEnroe etc (they'll be all playing in Royal Albert Hall at the end of the month)

You want to say that Boom Bomm Becker himself will be playing in the Aegon master?! Some news here....

BB is not playing, he came to mind first when I thought of former legends being hassled about Murray winning a slam, and then I remembered the RAH ....

Just back from tennis. it.is.£50 for anyone under 25. coaching for.juniors.is.around 150 a year. so not expensive at.all.

Riskysports wrote:Just back from tennis. it.is.£50 for anyone under 25. coaching for.juniors.is.around 150 a year. so not expensive at.all.

The problem is getting to the junior coaching level...

noleisthebest wrote:

Jeremy_Kyle wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:Killing time before WTF draw and heading out to the gym, I googled Djokovic's name and stumbled upon an Andy Murray interview in Daily Mail.

Unfortunately, it's that time of the year (now there are two of those a year, first is , obviously Wimbledon) when tennis re-appears in Great Britain, and the masses need to be reminded of its existence.

And before the likes of Becker, Ivanisevic, McEnroe etc (they'll be all playing in Royal Albert Hall at the end of the month)

You want to say that Boom Bomm Becker himself will be playing in the Aegon master?! Some news here....

BB is not playing, he came to mind first when I thought of former legends being hassled about Murray winning a slam, and then I remembered the RAH ....

That seemed strange to me. In his current condition I am not sure he would have had the best of Barhani in a competitive match. A fat player Socal should say......

noleisthebest wrote:

Riskysports wrote:Just back from tennis. it.is.£50 for anyone under 25. coaching for.juniors.is.around 150 a year. so not expensive at.all.

The problem is getting to the junior coaching level...

Actaully the problem is the parents getting their kids off their arses and out to do any expercise

People use the 'its too expensive' its a posh person sport to say they can not do it, but that is a complete lie.

Get them playing, better for the health of the nation, more chance to find the nugget, more chance to have some winners

It makes my blood boil when people say it is too expensive -