Murray's Roland Garros Mettle Not Good Enough

Once again, clay has proved cruel to Andy Murray. The great hope of London SW1 found himself down after the first set and looking at a likely straight sets defeat to the Czech Tomas Berdych. A reasonable fightback in the second could not prevent him losing that set as well, and the rain delay created by some rather fierce French spring showers evidently didn't alter his mental state, as Berdych finished the straight sets defeat under an hour after play restarted.

Now, on the face of it, reaching the last sixteen in what is clearly Murray's least favourite Open is no poor achievement, and Berdych is a talented player to lose to (admittedly, a better hardcourt man than clay). Indeed, my colleague did not think Murray would be able to get past Marco Bhagdatis in the previous round.

I am concerned, though, about the nature of the loss yesterday. Specifically, the poor start to the match, and especially the final set after the delay. I think they suggest a bigger flaw in Murray's game which he has yet to address.

Murray started out as a precocious talent with a powerful forehand game and a penchant for playing winners bordering on genius. He struggled to impose his service game when it mattered (closing out games, staying in close sets) and his ace to fault ratio would jump spectacularly away from the former and toward the latter. He also failed to stay in longer rally's; the more shots he found himself having to play, the less chance he would find a winner with the next one.

Murray has certainly addressed the issues he had with long rally's, which are now undoubtedly a strength of his game, and he has improved on the technical side of his game, to the point where his backhand game can match Nadal's on hardcourt and probably grass also, and his footwork and stamina are now genuinely world class.

I would argue that playing on clay puts Murray into a mental state that is similar to the one he faces when he has to play an opponent who poses a clear danger to him, and possesses a game at least the equal of his own. Murray finds himself starting at a disadvantage mentally, and he is less likely to put up as strong a fight when the games get tough later in the game. It is at this point, as it was yesterday against Berdych, that he starts commiting lazy/ stupid errors, and his shot selection and ability to produce aces goes out the window.

Murray really needs to iron out these mental deficiences if he wants to win a major tournament. He must be constantly aware of his predicament with regards the Federer and Nadal era he is trapped in, and this can't exactly help him. But he needs to take another look at his compadres in the second tier of tennis.

The talents below Fed and Rafa are obviously threats. Ancic, Del Potro, Tsonga, Roddick and their sort are certainly dangerous on all surfaces, and guys like Verdasco, Gonzales, Ferrer and Berdych will always trouble Murray on clay. Accept that clay isn't his forte and move on. I think he probably has.

Novak Djokovic is the best opponent out there that isn't one of the two feaks of nature. I genuinely believe that Murray is a more talented player than Djokovic physically and technically. Novak has clearly superior mental strength and consistency though, and is more successful than Murray because of this. Djokovic has realised that he must be at his best in every match because he cannot afford to slip up and be knocked out of a competition on the occasions that Federer or Nadal also go out. The key to winning a slam these days is to get to as many semi-finals as possible, and grasp the opportunity when one or both of the World's two best players doesn't make it to the final.

Murray can console himself with his good performances and victories against top opposition. But it won't help our British hero if he then loses to a Robredo or Schuttler in the next round and is doomed to be Scottish again.


GM