Cash: Murray must go on the attackSCOT’S ‘COUNTER-PUNCHING GAME’ LITTLE USE IN GRAND SLAM FINALS, SAYS FORMER WIMBLEDON CHAMPION
Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash has told British number one Andy Murray to change his game plan for 2010’s remaining grand slam tournaments or get used to life as a runner-up.
Murray was defeated 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (13-11) by world number one Roger Federer in January’s Australian Open final, while the Scot also lost to Federer in his previous grand slam final appearance at the 2008 US Open.
Cash has described Murray as a natural “counter-puncher” – a tactic Cash believes will continue to mean the Scot is a perennial grand slam bridesmaid.
Against lesser players on the world stage, Murray possesses the ammunition to dominate, but against the likes of Rafael Nadal, Federer, Andy Roddick and Novak Djokovic a rethink is needed if the young Scot is to finally take top spot at a grand slam event, according to Cash.
“Andy is a natural counter-puncher and you can’t counter-punch against Roger Federer because he’ll knock you out with his first blow,” said 1987 Wimbledon winner Cash.
“You can’t counter-punch in a grand slam final and you definitely can’t counter-punch Roger in a grand slam final.
“So, Andy has developed this tactic of getting forward earlier and taking a more aggressive approach to his game – but can he do it now when the pressure is on?
“He did it brilliantly against Rafa in Australia, but he didn’t do it at all against Roger in the final.
“What happens when the pressure comes and you don’t have the confidence in what you are doing is you drop back to your natural game and Andy’s natural game is to sit back and counter.
“I think we are looking at maybe a year, maybe a year and a half until he is fully confident in the tactics he is trying to employ. But hopefully for him it will make the difference and I still believe his best shot will be at Wimbledon.”
Murray may have missed out on being the first Briton in 74 years to land a grand slam when he fell to defeat against Federer in Australia, but Cash insists it is not all doom and gloom.
He is backing the world number three to one day get his hands on a grand slam title, but has warned it is back to the drawing board if he wants to dominate the likes of Federer and Nadal.
“I think he can continue to have good results this year because he is a very good player, whether he can win a grand slam tournament this year I’m not sure,” added Cash.
“I think Wimbledon will be his best chance because he needs some pace from the court to help his game out a little, Roger is hard to defeat on a slow court.
“I know there is a lot of pressure on him at Wimbledon, but I do think that is the event when he will break through, if he breaks through.
“It’s difficult because you have Roger and perhaps at Wimbledon we will have a fit Nadal, who are two all-time greats, but even below that there are a group of quality players led by Novak Djokovic, who will make it tough for him and who have already achieved a slam event.
“I lost two Australian Open finals myself and you have to be on your game, your technique has to be working and you do have to have a bit of luck on your side to win them. “I think in truth he knows he has improvements to make and there is no doubt he has to play better than he did in the final of the Australian Open to win, especially against Roger.
“Federer has won too many grand slams to be fazed in the final so you have to make him do something and you have to get at him early.”
Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash is supporting the Barclays Ball Kids initiative, a national search to find 30 youngsters to be Ball Kids at the 2010 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in November.
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