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Wimbledon 2015 preview: Can Murray do it?

9 years ago
by Wellsy77

One of the most anticipated tennis competitions in the world begins on Monday and many are expected to watch around the world whilst simultaneously scoffing strawberries and cream. 

The debate over who might win the titles this year continues amongst pundits and despite having an extra week to practice on the grass this year, it seems a clear favourite is yet to be decided.

In Britain though, one man in particular seems to captivate our attention and rightfully so. Andy Murray, champion of Wimbledon 2013, is currently on form. He enters Wimbledon on the back of his win at Queens last week whilst top seed and last year’s winner, Novak Djokovic returns to the grass following a heartbreaking defeat against Stanislas Wawrinka at the French Open. 

The men’s draw

The draw for the men’s single was a mixed bag. Djokovic faces a difficult climb to the final as he will face Philipp Kohlscreiber in the opening match, followed by Lleyton Hewitt, Bernard Tomic and Kevin Anderson, all before the quarter finals. If he progresses further, he faces Wawrinka in the last four; a meeting which will prove interesting to watch considering the last time they met. 

Luckily for Murray, Djokovic is in a different quarter meaning they will not meet in the competition unless they both reach the final. The draw was kind to Murray as he faces Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Kukushkin in the first round who is ranked 58th in the world. Murray’s final four matches would prove the most difficult though, as he could potentially face Tsonga, Nadal and Federer, before facing Djokovic in the final. 

Murray has lost twice to Djokovic this year, once in the Australian Open and another in the French Open. He has beaten the world number one before though and there are no doubts that he can do it again.

For other British players, progression unfortunately looks slim with the likes of James Ward facing eighth seed David Ferrer in his opening match.

The women’s draw

In the women’s draw, British number two, Johanna Konta has a difficult opening match against fourth seed, Maria Sharapova. Britain’s number one woman Heather Watson could meet five times champion Serena Williams in a difficult third round.

With her current form, Williams is set to be the favourite in for the women’s title. A win at wimbledon would secure her 21st grand slam which is a huge achievement for any athlete. 

One of the wildcards for the women’s draw this year, however, went to Laura Robson who has suffered a wrist injury that prevented her from playing tennis for seventeen months.She will face Russia’s Evgeniya Rodina in the first match but may encounter difficulties considering her circumstances. That said, there are no expectations of her and she could go on to flourish in the competition.

The charm of Wimbledon

There is a certain charm to Wimbledon. Somehow, despite not being a tennis fan, I get sucked into the drama year upon year. How can anyone forget the moment Andy Murray lost out in the final to Roger Federer and began his tearful speech? Better yet, how can anyone forget the moment he overcame Djokovic to finally win Wimbledon in 2013? 

There is as well, the sheer demonstration of skill. The aces, the drop shots and the power are all things to be admired. Nick Kyrgios pulled off this extraordinary shot against Rafael Nadal last year:  

Can Murray do it?

Let’s be honest, this is the question on the British public’s lips. Murray is in great form and with a good run in the early rounds; he could set himself up in a fantastic position for the final. He might have to beat all of the “big four” to do so, but he is capable of doing so. 

Speaking to ITV though, Djokovic said that he doesn’t see himself as a “clear favourite” considering their previous clashes. He did add however, that “everything is possible” and that he will “make sure” Murray will not walk away with the title this year.

In fact, Djokovic is looking relaxed. He was caught celebrating his warm up win at the Boodles against Richard Gasquet by performing a Magic Mike style striptease:

Murray on the other hand is staying focused on the task ahead. There is no doubt in my mind that if he gets a good run of results, Murray can go all the way. Here’s hoping for another summer of celebration and another win for Andy Murray. 

Who do you think will win Wimbledon? Let us know in the comments below. 

 

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