Wimbledon 2011 Prediction: 9 Reasons Why Murray Will Beat Nadal

Andy Murray is due to meet Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals of Wimbledon 2011. I predict that Murray will beat Nadal and take a giant step towards his first Grand Slam title. Here are 9 reasons why I think Britain’s number one is going to trump the world’s number one player:

1. Sublime Form:
Murray is in the form of his life. But he is yet to play his best tennis. In the kind of form he is in, Murray could shift gear to a level he has not realised in the past, a level that fans and media have always believed him capable of achieving.

2. Law of Averages:
Nadal has beaten Murray on both the occasions they have met at Wimbledon. Rafa also beat Andy at the French Open, against the run of play. And it’s pay back time now. The mathematical law of averages will be firmly on Murray’s side, when the players meet on Friday.

3. Nadal’s Injury Niggle:
A fit Nadal is virtually impossible to beat. But a less-than-fit Nadal could be vulnerable to a player of Murray’s calibre. The foot injury that Nadal picked up in the match against Del Potro did not prevent the Spaniard from beating Mardy Fish, in the quarter-finals. But there were indications that Nadal was not entirely himself, when he dropped the third set, after going 2 sets to love up. The doctors may have cleared Nadal to play, despite his injury, but both the Spanish world number one and his rival on Friday, Murray, know that the injury will be preying on Rafa’s mind. And that is a window of opportunity for Murray.

4. Grass Court Advantage:
If Murray has to beat Nadal, there’s no better surface he can hope to do it on. Grass is Murray’s most favoured surface, while being Nadal’s least favoured court.

5. Absence of Federer:
With Federer gone, Murray would be looking ahead, to a final featuring either Tsonga or Djokovic, both of whom he would prefer, ahead of Federer, as a rival, in a Grand Slam final. And that should boost Murray’s confidence and morale, like nothing else.

6. The Tsonga Factor:
Tsonga’s legendary performance against Federer should inspire Murray to try harder. Murray should also find it particularly delightful to contemplate that Tsonga and Djokovic are likely to slug it out and tire each other out, in the other semi-final.

7. Lower Pressure of Expectation:
In the last few years, Murray has come within a whisker of winning a Grand Slam, a feat that no British male has achieved since Fred Perry, over 75 years ago. The pressure of expectation was so huge that Andy choked at the post. The experience appears to have chastened the British number one, who now comes across as a much calmer and more mature player, on court.

8. Crowd Support:
The crowd will be solidly behind Murray and you can expect them to scream their support, whenever things are going his way, and especially when things aren’t going Andy’s way. Not only should that encourage Murray to go the extra mile, but it could also have a dampening effect on Nadal.

9. Coming of Age:
Murray has been among the world’s top four players, for some years now, without winning a Grand Slam, a feat that the other three have achieved several times each. There is every sign to indicate that this Wimbledon will prove to be Murray’s coming of age, as a world class player, winning his first of many Grand slams.

Tags: Djokovic, Federer, Mardy Fish, Murray, Nadal, Prediction

Category: French Open, Tennis, Wimbledon