If Novak Djokovic’s ascendancy has cooled discussion of a “Big Four” in men’s tennis, it must be said that Andy Murray is still the clear-cut world No. 4. This has only been reinforced at Wimbledon, where Murray has reached the final four—but never further—each of the last three years. This, perhaps to the chagrin of the Scot, is not even close to enough for the trophy-thirsty British fans, who haven’t seen a native champion since (all together now) Fred Perry in 1936. Or, since before the great majority of them were born. Murray was born around the same time as Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, and he will almost certainly have to beat one of them—and likely both—if he’s to satisfy an island and himself. Murray must play best when it matters most. He possesses a complex game, but we’ve watched it win so many matches that we understand it well. Unfortunately, so do his chief rivals.
Why He’ll Win:
Murray is too good a player to be denied a major, and he’s been knocking at the hallowed door for some time. His passion is on par with the London crowds’, and this time their devotion will be rewarded.
Why He Won’t:
Murray has been unable to beat Djokovic, Nadal or Roger Federer with a Grand Slam title on the line, and those three have shown no signs of slowing down.
Bottom Line:
What separates Murray from the Top 3 is his forehand—Murray needs to go for more with it, hope it lands in, and do it over and over again. A defensive approach won’t yield a title.
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—Roger Federer
—John Isner
—Petra Kvitova
—Andy Murray
—Rafael Nadal
—Agnieszka Radwanska
—Maria Sharapova
—Serena Williams
—Caroline Wozniacki