Spectacular Andy Murray Conquers Federer To Win Olympic Gold Medal

Congratulations to Andy Murray! In a way, that was one of the most bizarre matches I’ve ever seen. It was as if Federer could do (almost) no right, and Murray, no wrong, on the court today. Looked like I was watching the hand of fate move against Federer today; it was deciding in favor of Murray, that this was not just a great day for Andy, but for tennis in the UK, that they would have a champion in a major tennis event this year. The big ace on match point told it all for me. This, coming from Andy Murray? ‘Nuff said.

Murray played brilliantly and Fed was not as sharp as he was in the Wimbledon final. Probably a combination of mental and physical fatigue, windy conditions and Murray’s dominance. Maybe instead of following in Mauresmo’s footprints, he’ll take a page from Djokovic’s book and go on an extreme tear. Wonder what the top 4 rankings will look like at the end of the year. Is Del Potro a threat again?

How much of an effect to do you think the Olympic finals was played outdoors? Fed played both Djokovic and Murray at Wimbledon indoors, even the Benneteau match was played indoors. I’ve got to think Fed got a big advantage. I don’t think you will see him win a slam outside of Wimby ever again.

Well, if he catches Djoker & Fed again on off days he’ll have a chance.

Murray as slam champ is not a given. He looked awesome out there (I’ve never seen him play better), but a slam is best of five for every match, not just finals. As Andre Agassi said on his final day as a Wimbledon competitor, “if tennis was as easy as phoning in the results, you know, I would have just called in a win today […], you know. Just doesn’t happen that way. You have to come out; you have to do it. That’s one thing that I keep speaking to in competition, you know. The competitor’s heart and mind leave a lot of room for a lot of things that we might think is crazy to happen.”

I think Murray will win a slam, because he’s showed he can make the final and make a final of it – but my thinking means nothing in the real scheme of things. Murray has to keep fighting the good fight and keep pushing, like Nadal, to overthrow the Nadal-Djokovic-Federer trio. I don’t think time is on his side either. He’s the best player to never slam but that does not make him a slam champion.

I think playing some more doubles in non-slam tournaments might be a way for him to stay sharp in the volleys though.

As for Federer and “can he win a slam if its not indoors” – I believe 100 percent he would have beaten Murray at Wimbledon this year even if it were outdoors. The fact the roof closed means Murray didnt have a prayer – the improbable (beating him in a slam final) became almost impossible (beating him indoors).

As for predicting any future slam winners, for me it’s like when you cross an elephant with a rhino.

(h)el(l)-if-i-know. I am awful for prediction. Please dont give me any vegas money I will lose it for you.

Federer might win another slam – he’s easily one of the best hardcourt players of all time, otherwise he would lose before the semifinals on a slam hardcourt and he hasn’t done that since what, 2003? Almost ten years ago? If Djokovic keeps slumping, Nadal stays hurt, and Murray doesn’t improve, U.S. Open – with its fifth set tiebreaks – could be another slam for Federer.

Though I have no idea who WILL win a slam, I just know who I’d like to see slam. I think Tsonga has a slam in him. Murray if for anything to show that hard work pays off even if your name is not Nadal or Djokovic. If Murray gets better, Nadal stays hurt, and Djokovic keeps up his slumping Murray could be the future #1 within a year.

On the WTA side, wouldn’t mind seeing Lisicki win. I like Kirilenko too – she’s shown some grit. But I think Serena’s going to lock up the U.S. Open. Maybe Kimmie will end with a slam.

“Federer can still be satisfied with a Olympic silver medal in singles, which is a special accomplishment in it’s own right.”

A guy who has done about everything you can in the sport other then a Calendar Slam is going to be satisfied with a silver medal and think it’s “a special accomplishment in it’s own right” ?

Scoop, we’re not discussing little league baseball where everyone gets a trophy and everyone is a winner. We are talking about the GOAT (or, at min, one of the best ever.) He came up short. It’s a whole in the record. It’s not like a missing Major but because Oly has become somewhat more important to the players it matters a bit more then when the great Nick Massu took home the double.

Why did the Gold medal become something more important? Because Nadal won one?

As far as I know the players have to play more Davis Cup in the future in order to be able to compete at the Olympics. That might cause more dilemma for them.

In the true spirit of the games all the footage is blacked out on YouTube but I will happily watch Dolgo’s victory over Haas freely.

You cannot overlook the fact that Fed beat Djoker and Murray indoors. That’s huge. Where did Fed play well last year? Yes, the Open, but he won most of his events indoors. I saw Fed at 2-all in the first set in the Olympic finals run around a Murray second serve and hit a forehand 10 feet long. A mis-hit, that doesn’t happen indoors, but outdoors we see a lot more shanking by Fed. We don’t see the serve as sharp. He did beat Nadal in straights at Indy Wells this year, but Nadal has not been the top guy on outdoor hard. And we also saw Fed get buzz-sawed by Djok at the French. I think if they face each other at the Open, we’ll see the same. I speak to Djoker in Toronto in the next couple of days and I’m going to ask him straight-out about that.

If you have any questions you want me to ask Djok, I have a one on one interview set up with him in Toronto, so shoot some out to me and I’ll pick the best ones, ask the Djoker and write up the responses, although I am doing feature piece on him for Tennis Australia Magazine and Tennis.com.

Just went on the Maid of the Mist at Niagara Falls and it was awesome. Amazing power, force water fall and mist. Got to get in car and drive now, but only Young playing Chardy in early stadium matches. Other than asking DY what with not hiring or even talking to Spadea about coaching, I got nothing to say to DY.

Please ask Djoker if HE WAS SURPRISED that Federer won a 17th Grand Slam title.

“The American gymnast Gabby is going to earn over $100 million minimum, because of her gold medal. Oscar De La Hoya and Wladimir Klitschko both have said winning their gold medals was the highpoint of their careers.”

Scoop those are traditional OLY sports. In fact, Olympic boxing bears little resemblance to pro boxing. Gymnastics for me is one of the ideal OLY sports along with track & field events and, of course, the bobsled. Let the anonymous, great athletes have their day without the millionaire basketball players & tennis players.

Scoop, I think you mean instead of “so want to discredit and diminish” (as if I have some hidden self-interest in the status of Oly tennis) discuss with some attempt at objectivity the relative importance of Oly tennis. I really think, as I said in another post, Murray stated it well. It’s becoming more important. The inference being it is not there yet. (And I suspect he would trade it in a nanosecond for a W or USO). It’s definitely something you want to add to your trophy chest if you’re Fed/Nadal/Joker and are racking up Major titles. If you’re Fish, points and money may be more important.

@Scoop “even people like Kobe, Greg Norman, Kate and the Prince, and Bill Gates came by to check it out.””

Even people like ? I see, people that have nothing but official interest in tennis (the “royalty”), random rich guy (is it something about Gates or any very rich guy makes the event important in your mind ?), and golf star (dont’ get it. The more people from other sports decide to watch an Oly event the more important it becomes rule ? ) decide to “check it out” and that makes it a very important tennis event .

@Scoop “Well said Tom. Agree, just to even make the Olympics is a remarkable achievement”

@Scoop “just to even make the Olympics is a remarkable achievement and Donald Young ”

Ah, we’re back to the anyone that makes the ATP is a great achievement? Really ? Will we go over that one every week. Yes, Scoop, let’s all explicitly acknowledge the truism: being a pro athlete (in any sport) is a great achievement. But unless we never want to evaluate the athletes AGAINST THEMSELVES and within THE CONTEXT OF COMPETING WITHIN THEIR SPORTS we should drop this one.

The statement adds nothing. “Newport is a great event ! Winning Newport is an amazing achievement because being a pro tennis player is a great achievement. Then to win an ATP level tournament — stupendous.” Yah, we watch tennis around here Scoop. We get it.

Re Oly. You’re aware of the position of Oly in tennis. If you want to elevate it then instead of pretending it’s something it isn’t promote actions that might do it over time. Increase the points. Make it mandatory. Perhaps change the format. After a few generations of tennis players start dreaming about it and working toward it like they do with the Majors it might become very important.

Nadal skipped it. No need to win it again.

Scoop when the dream team beats Nigeria or whoever by 80 points you get a thrill? You love that?

@Scoop,

“Didn’t Uncle Toni and Rafa say it was the hardest most difficult decision they ever made, to skip the Olympics?

What is your point ? Is this supposed to be some additional evidence that the Oly is very important ?

Did you just fall off the turnip truck ? Stop acting like a signal booster for every media sensitive soundbite that falls out of a players/players rep mouth. Let me ask you this. What would you possible expect Nadal to say ?

Ask Rios how important Oly is. But don’t expect Nadal will ever say anything to harm the Nadal brand. Nadal is still smarting from when he went public about ATP tour issues and Fed served him up. I don’t think we’ll be hearing anything remotely controversial from the Nadal camp for another 5 years.

I got ill after you quoted Gimelstob. A new low for you. Now go wipe your nose clean.

Scoop, the above post now sounds a wee nasty to me and I withdraw the brown-nosing comment.

As for me coming around to appreciate Oly tennis. I do appreciate it. I like it. (Though I find some of the other events more exciting.)

Scoop, from Gencic’ quotes I can only believe that Novak’s “personal problems” could relate to one thing: yep. The world’s best fan. I wonder if she means: “if Novak listened to me more and less to his best fan, he would be doing better and he knows it.”

Ya never know.

Scoop it seemed you were about the enter beast mode at the end. Perhaps this makes a case for 5 set matches.
🙂