This won’t be a popular one, but it’s called opinion for a reason. Boris Becker kept up his knack of questionable comments when he yesterday claimed that tennis needs Andy Murray’s return.
Now, yes the former world number one is a sudden superb player and deserves to be mentioned amongst the big 3, but can anyone objectively say that the game is missing him right now?
He has not the passion of Nadal, the popularity and mystique of Federer or the achievements and marketability of Djokovic.
Go down a rung and he has neither Wawrinka’s unique and irresistible shot-making, Tsonga’s charm or the new blood’s energy and promise.
Sounds harsh when listed out like that, but for all of the Scot’s many qualities and undeniable pedigree, he just doesn’t enrich the sport in enough other areas to warrant Becker’s crowd pleaser of s statement.
Need is a strong word and I think at this point the game is strong enough to lose even Federer even though it won’t in the near future. But…. Andy brings quite a lot to the game that isn’t so easily replaced. To wit: a fiery, albeit chirpy, competitive temperament, thoughtfull dealings with the press (even the British Press), a heady, even cerebral understanding of tactics/strategy (with the tools to implement), the resurrection of British tennis to respectability (great mentoring of the other lads), feminism almost unique among ATP players, and to my eyes, along with Federer, the most explosive and urgent post shot recovery footwork in the game. Now I’ve never liked that he uses a PT57a an calls it a Radical but on balance…..
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