[The Deadly]

Andy Murray moved abroad as a youngster to be coached by the best coaches and it has really paid off for him. It's all about commitment and a hard work ethic. He is rare example of a British athlete who is a winner and as much as I don't like his personality I admire his attitude.

[Bruvva]

Laura Robson was brilliant. She is the only British prospect out there, and good though she undoubtedly is, she's still not going to be a world beater - probably. Hope I'm wrong, I do like her and she seems to have more desire to do well than all the other British players (except Murray).

Heather Watson annoyed the hell out of me in her post-defeat interview - when asked what she would do now, she said "go away and train better and improve her fitness" and crap like that. She is a heavily funded, incredibly highly paid (for someone who never wins anything - she got £26.000 for losing in the first round at Wimbledon) professional athlete. She has NO excuse for not already doing those things. If she isn't training enough, what the * is she getting paid her funding for?

Andy Murray is interesting as the only exception to Britain's crapness at producing decent tennis players, because he is the only one who has never had any input, funding or advice from the LTA, his career from a very early age was handled independently by his mum and his coaches in Spain. So the moral is, if you are a young, talented, British tennis player, looking to reach the top of the sport (rather than just pick up massive pay checks for being crap, which lets face it is an option in tennis), steer well clear of the LTA and get your support elsewhere.

Robson will do ok, may flirt with the top 10-15 and that's fine. The problem lies with, as you say, the LTA. I have no idea what they're doing wrong but the complete lack of any strength in depth in the british game suggests they're doing something badly wrong. Maybe it's the fact that tennis clubs are seen as exclusive and for the rich only and as such, they act as a barrier to entry for anyone young and eager to get into the sport.

[Yudster]

British athletes working hard and winning aren't THAT rare - just in sports where there is a lot of money thrown at losers, like tennis, football, athletics etc. In less well funded sports you have participants who are there because of a passion for the event and they do tend to have a strong work ethic and reap the benefits, hence our unheard of top world ranked winners in sports like squash where we are currently World champions and have three or possibly four players ranked in the world top ten in the men's, including a double world individual champion, and also in the women's game.

I wonder if the British mentality is just too willing to accept well-paid mediocrity when it is offered.

[The Deadly]

I'm no tennis expert so I was wondering why Laura Robson would be put on Court 2 instead of Centre Court?

[Misfit]

dunno but I'd bang her. well fit.

[Yudster]

I'm no tennis expert so I was wondering why Laura Robson would be put on Court 2 instead of Centre Court?

Centre Court and Court 1 are where the seeded matches are usually scheduled. She got to play her first round match on Centre because her match had no fixed court allocated, it was a "fit in where you can" match (as many are in the early rounds), and the Centre court matches finished much earlier than expected, so she got put on there.

Traditionally at Wimbledon they try to put British players who don't go out in R1 as close to centre as possible, and if they can get away with it on Centre or 1 - but this is only the 3rd round, given the seeds still in the competition and the relatively lowly status of her match in the context of the competition, they wouldn't have got away with it today.

[bmstinton93]

Laura Robson is doing bloody well! Just to reach this stage is remarkable! Quarter finals would be perfect now!

[The Deadly]

Would you date her? Is she marriage material?

[bmstinton93]

I'd certainly * her. But yes she is perfect! Amazing at tennis and fit.

[Bonanzoid]

DJ Okovic was in fairly ominous form today. If it does end up with a Murray Djokovic final, it could be a brilliant match.

[The Deadly]

Murray was really struggling against Verdasco. Two sets down but is coming back strong in the third.

Verdasco has nice hair.

[The Deadly]

Murray has been impressive the last two sets, only one winner now! Don't fancy his chances against Djokovic should they play each other in the final. He is playing like a beast.

[DevilsDuck]

only one winner now!

100% correct

[Topher]

only one winner now!

100% correct

Haha!

Verdasco wasn't that good when he was at the top of his game and he's well past that now... should have been easier than that. Murray and Djokovic are almost certain for the final - I fancy Djokovic to win that, but it's not inconceivable Murray could win.

[The Deadly]

Verdasco's hair cannot be underrated or ignored. It was simply divine.

[Yudster]

There's FAR too much of it.

I thought Verdasco looked a really poor player to be honest. The only thing that was positive for him was his second serve - he must have won far more points on that than most players would expect to. On all the other stats (first serve points, aces, double faults) Murray was well on top, which makes it difficult to understand why it was so hard for him.

If Murray plays like that in the final (assuming he gets there) he will get tonked, but I can't see that happening. He is allowed one shite match, and I was impressed at how hard he fought for it - the old Murray would have sulked his way to a tame defeat, but he's changed.

[Bruvva]

Andy Murray, British No. 1, has now reached the final in four consecutive grand slams (the ones he's been fit for). James Ward, British No. 2, has won one grand slam singles match in his entire career. The LTA really do need to be told they need to invest in coaching, make tennis available to those who don't have access to privately owned courts or have their funding taken away and given to a sport who knows how to invest in youth and bring on home grown players, the useless elitist twats. You can see where the LTA spends its money when Wimbledon rolls round every year by looking at the gloriously manicured landscaping.

That rant aside, that was a very accomplished performance by Murray yesterday. The way he pulled the second set around from being 4-1 down was very impressive.

[slaphead1982]

Impressive? Yes. He's done that twice in a row now but has no chance of winning if it happens on Sunday.

[Bruvva]

I wouldn't say no chance, he beat Djokovic in the US Open final, and I think he's beaten him the only time they've played at Wimbledon. I'd say Djokovic is the better player at the moment, certainly, but I'd not say the result is a foregone conclusion.

[The Deadly]

I have a fiver on Djokovic straight sets. Come on Nole!

[HA94]

I have a fiver on Djokovic straight sets. Come on Nole!

Nice of you not to be 100% patriotic.

[The Deadly]

The odds were good and I don't really care. Murray is Scottish anyway. (Unless he wins)

[bmstinton93]

It's hard to call but don't go writing Murray off! I personally think he'll win tomorrow

[Misfit]

anddd he did it!

[slaphead1982]

Impressive? Yes. He's done that twice in a row now but has no chance of winning if it happens on Sunday.

There are times when I like being wrong.