The curious case of ‘Murreysmo’

It’s been quite a while since I’ve heard those ‘three little words’ that sometimes bring a smile on my face. Those words that were meant to ease the pain in a manner that would make even the boring into something interesting. Those words that showed that there still was a ray of hope in the world and that all relationships could last despite partners being complete opposites.

Prepare. Attack. Destroy!

Remember them? For people across the globe they were just ‘words’ on an Adidas t-shirt, but for me those ‘words’ signified the prodigious fusion between a certain Scottish goody and an American badass. I don’t know when, how or why Adidas came up with the idea, but they sold it at the best possible time as it summarized an amalgamation that to the tennis fraternity was the start of something spectacular.

8-time Grand Slam winner Ivan Lendl joining forces with Andy Murray was a match made in heaven it seemed. For a tennis player as bland as Murray nothing is better than winning a Grand Slam (let alone the 17 that Roger Federer has) and for the Scot to have the epitome of ambushing brilliance on his side meant things had gotten serious in camp. So serious that “raw aggression” seemed an understatement.

Almost immediately one could sense the changes in Murray’s game. The intent to win every point was instilled. An aggressive approach to the game was adapted. Those drop shots stated serving the purpose they were destined to serve. Andy’s net-play that never was a major part of his game suddenly became his “go-to” move. Perhaps for the first time ever Andy could smell the glory of a Grand Slam success.

The world waited with baited breath as to what Lendl had planned next. Every move was scrutinized. Every shot was analyzed. Murray started getting the “oohs” and “aahhs” that differentiates the good from the best. Lendl was clearly visible in Murray’s persona. “That shot had a Lendl tinge in it,” said the people. There was no place for emotions. No more pain. No more crying. The path was set for the Andy Murray bandwagon and it showed no signs of derailment. The dream reignited. A knighthood loomed.

Not only under Ivan Lendl did Andy Murray reach the Wimbledon final in 2012, but he also won an Olympic Gold Medal in London a month later, won his first Grand Slam, the US Open title, the same year beating Novak Djokovic in a gruesome 5-setter, reached the Australian Open final in 2013, where he gave a much better fight to Djokovic than the year before, and ripped the Serb apart in straight sets later that year at Wimbledon to give Great Britain a new song to sing ever since the “Oh hail Perry” anthem.

The term “first win since Fred Perry” started making an appearance more often than it did when the great Tim Henman was on the circuit. Great Britain could finally cheer for someone who could give something they’d waited for since forever. Ever since the lowest low in January 2010 when the words “I can cry like Roger, its shit that I can’t play like him” were muttered by a tear-faced Andy Murray amass the picturesque Rod Laver Arena, the world had been waiting for the prodigal son to bounce back.

And now, the time had come! The only problem – it lasted just two years.

In September 2013, Murray took probably the most treacherous decision of his career when he decided to have back surgery. Although at that time the Scot did not see the same as a career-threatening move, it did turn out to have quite an impact on his career. Not physically, but mentally. His comeback was not a fairytale one and unfortunately for British fans it was Ivan Lendl who had to pay the price.

Since the inconceivable and intense final at the Flushing Meadows against Djokovic in 2012 and the spanking finale against the same opponent at SW19 a year later, all eyes had been on Murray to have an  extravagant encore. However, ever since his back surgery, Murray’s ranking tumbled from No. 2 to No. 9, his form was nowhere near to his intimidating best and he was characterized as a player who did not have a style of his own. To make things worse, he had to play consecutive ATP 250s just to make the cut for the ATP World Tour Finals.

Needless to say, Lendl was on the first flight home, which probably turned out to be the worst decision good ‘Ol Andy has made in his entire life. Lendl’s departure was bigger a loss for Andy than any final he ever played as it brought back the demons that not only took possession of Murray’s feeble mind but also gave birth to a virus that infected the Scot’s game. He started losing matches from winning positions. Fred Perry’s name seemed lost in history now and Great Britain went into gloom again.

However, the one quality that Andy Murray has working for him is his will to not throw in the towel. Something that was clearly evident at the Australian Open this year. Apart from the fourth set in the final against Djokovic that saw the Serb fashion a blitzing bagel, Murray has been known to grind it out until the end of time. Before heading into Wimbledon 2014, the Scot got 2-time Grand Slam winner Amelie Mauresmo on board as her coach. A move that was probably aimed towards setting the records straight that Murray thought he still has a lot to offer when it came to top quality tennis.

Andy, of all people, knew that working with Mauresmo was going to be looked upon with questioning eyes at all times. Yet, he still went ahead with the move because he actually has a lot in common with the Frenchwoman. Just like Murray, Mauresmo too had to spend her life being an underdog and always having to cope with handling pressure. Mauresmo too has just 2 Grand Slams like Murray. And best of all Murray, just like Mauresmo, believes that winning a match is about variety and not aggression.

Such was the variety conjured by Mauresmo that even a pretty one-dimensional Murray inculcated some wicked and acrimonious angles into his game that left his opponents at the Australian Open fuming at the other end feeling as if a brutal bruiser had stolen their lunch money. Melbourne was witness to the new-old Murray when he demolished the likes of Grigor Dimitrov, Nick Kyrgios and Tomas Berdych with scintillating artistry which was something even Lendl, the man who for eternity will be attributed with turning Murray into a Grand Slam champion, could not ingrain.

Andy Murray and Amelie Mauresmo also found common ground on how to effectuate a strategy when it comes to finishing a tennis match. As there are incalculable views on the subject in today’s power-driven era that sees the gym-bred physicality rule the courts, Murray and Mauresmo are moving forwards with a strategy that believes in quality, not quantity, and in keeping things simple.

Now it is left to be seen whether or not that strategy will work wonders for Murray, who at 28 does not have a lot of time in hand to create a facade of being called a legend, or whether he can rediscover the intensity and vigour that led him to the breakthrough US Open victory and the earth-shattering Wimbledon triumph; however, at the end of the day what matters is that the player and coach must have the same views on how to play the game.

Something that ‘Murreysmo’ has already mastered!

Why Rafa can never reach Roger’s greatness

If there’s one thing that really gets a debate started in the tennis fraternity, it’s the ardent topic of who’s the better player – Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal. And seeing that I’ve written Federer’s name before Nadal’s, one can easily make out who I’m going to side with. It’s plain and simple actually. When it comes to handling tennis, no one does a better job than Federer.

I know what the Nadal fans might be thinking at this stage – WTF is this guy talking about? Nadal has a better head-to-head record against Federer; he’s on 13 Grand Slams titles and has all the chances in the world to go past the propitious number of Federer’s 17; and of course who can forget that Nadal was the youngest player to have completed the career Grand Slam.

Top all of that with the fact that Nadal’s grit is probably the most ruthless on the circuit today and he, without a shadow of a doubt, is an epitome of a defensive tennis player. It’s really strange to bring a “football” terminology into the sport of tennis but no one can argue with the point that to win a point once against the Spanish Matador, one has to win the point 3 times.

Also let us not forget that Nadal did make one of the most impressive comebacks in the sport last year when he went on a title-winning spree to bag eight titles, including the French Open and US Open, after an injury lay-off of seven months. However, keeping all of the above facets in mind, the element that is of essence is that he is starting to show signs of cracks in his armor.

And that is where the answer to the whole “who’s the greatest ever” squabble starts taking shape. Because, as a rule of thumb, the thing that matters most in a sport that is as grueling and gruesome as tennis is fitness. Therefore, a tennis player can be said to be an embodiment of greatness if he/she can maintain a perfect blend between the playing technique and fitness.

Consequently coming over to Rafael Nadal’s pattern of playing, it is clearly visible that he struggles with injuries and has always writhed to implement the desired balance that creates a tennis player’s character. In fact the world no. 1 has spent quite a lot of time being strangely disoriented, and that too on a surface that he’s been given credit of dominating like none other.

Let’s start with the Barcelona Open, shall we? I can’t call myself an expert but when a man who has won the French Open a record 8 times falls victim on clay to a player like Nicolas Almagro (No offence to Almagro. For what it’s worth, he’s been in good knick lately) it is a matter of concern. But let’s give credit to Nadal on that one. He could have been jet-lagged or something.

But then came the Monte Carlo Masters. Another clay court tournament, another Spanish opponent, another reprehensible exit for Nadal. This time the honour of being called the “Nadal-slayer” went to David Ferrer. A worthy opponent perhaps for Nadal to be losing to. Losing to a top-10 player is possibly a little less shameful. (Seriously no offense to Almagro)

Soon after, Rafael Nadal perhaps was given some solace when he lucked out at the ATP Madrid Masters. A laborious defence for his title gave him little consolation as the “elusive” victory came at the expense of Michael Chang’s latest prodigy Kei Nishikori being forced to retire in the final. Oh and before I forget, Nishikori did manage to win the first set before his back gave out.

I guess the Nadal-bashing is becoming a little too much considering after all that he is the world number 1. The world’s best player at present as some might like to delicately put it. However, let me remind those Nadal loyalists the forlorn truth that I still have not pointed out the worst. Because what followed Madrid Masters was a record shattering that was just waiting to occur.

Nadal’s loss to world number 2 Novak Djokovic at the ATP Rome Masters final marked the first time since 2004 that the Spanish Matador failed to win three clay court clashes in the same calendar year. There’s always this heated discussion when it comes to comparing the power games of Nadal and Djokovic; but Djoker clearly showed that he intends to dethrone the king.

So, having said all of that, now comes the time when I start putting things into perspective. The point that I was trying to make by pointing out Nadal’s recent results is that there is an interesting point that needs to be perceived. That point is that 27-year old Rafael Nadal is struggling more than the 32-year old Roger Federer when it comes to “handling” tennis.

For instance, if Nadal had never been born, Federer would have added 7 more Grand Slams (4 French Opens, 1 Wimbledon, 2 Australian Opens) to his extraordinary number of 17 thereby taking his record to a staggering 24 Grand Slams. However, the same can never be said about Nadal. In fact, Federer had won 15 Grand Slams by the age of 27 as compared to Nadal’s 13.

Secondly, a record that will stand the test of time and can never ever be touched by Nadal is the dominating fact that Federer has played 23 Grand Slam semifinals in a row. The closest that anyone is to that astounding number is Ivan Lendl, who reached 10 in a row. Therefore, to put it in years, Roger Federer reached atleast the semis of every Grand Slam for six straight years.

Leaving aside the semifinal pointer (which is probably an understatement of the term “consistency”), Federer stamped his name in the record books at the ongoing 2014 French Open when he set the indomitable record of being the only man in the history of the sport to have played in 58 consecutive Grand Slams. Meanwhile, Nadal’s consecutive streak at present is that of four.

Now that I’ve started with Federer’s mettlesome records I guess it’s going to be very hard to stop. Mentioning records like holding the world no. 1 spot for 302 weeks and holding it for 237 weeks straight won’t even make sense as Nadal is not even close to that unsurpassable figure. To top it all off, for 3 straight years the Swiss Maestro walked home with 3 out of the 4 Slams.

Another record that will cement my claim of Rafael Nadal never reaching Federer’s greatness level is that FedeX till date remains the only tennis player is history to have been seeded number 1 for three consecutive Olympics when he competed at the 2012 London Olympics. Not that it’s worth mentioning, but Federer (then 30) also managed to win the silver medal there.

Hence, If I was to sum it all up in possibly the shortest manner plausible, Roger Federer’s immaculate discipline when it  comes to handling his body for sustainability and his passion for creating an impeccable blend between his majestic inventions and his vintage techniques is what leaves Rafael Nadal miles and miles behind on the “greatest-ever bandwagon”.

There’s no doubting the fact that Nadal is a great player. In fact, his stupendous records speak volumes when it comes to establishing his aura as a fighter. But let’s get one thing straight shall we? Rafael Nadal is, was and will always be second to a phenomenon called Roger Federer.