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Andy Murray Wimbledon 2022
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Does Murray have one last Wimbledon charge left?


Andy Murray flashed his brilliance under the bright lights of the Australia Open not once, but twice to advance to the third round of the competition. The three-time Grand Slam champion battled his way past Matteo Berrettini and Thanasi Kokkinakis in two five-setters to reach the third round of the competition. Murray looked to be on course for a third five-setter against Roberto Bautista-Agut before he was finally halted in the fourth set by the 24th seed.

The Scot remains a phenomenal player when operating at the peak of his powers, but his fitness issues have prevented him from making charges into the second weeks of major tournaments. It is incredible that Murray is still able to play at a high standard with his metal hip.

Murray can mix it with the best players in the game as proven by his victory over Berrettini. The problems emerge when he has to play matches so soon after a grueling battle. When he was younger, it was not a problem. Now, the 35-year-old needs more time to heal before he takes on his next opponent.

Can Murray do it?

There will be a lot of competition for the Wimbledon title, none more so than Novak Djokovic, who is the leading contender for the crown in the betting odds. It’s correct that Djokovic is the favourite given his Wimbledon record and he will be determined to win yet another title.

There have been surprises in the past and you can find sports betting odds in Canada of +3300 for Murray to win Wimbledon, which suggests that he’s considered one of the top 15 players in the reckoning for the crown. Murray has a greater chance at Wimbledon than any other of the Grand Slams because of his history at the All England Club.

 

 

Murray won Wimbledon in 2013 and again in 2016 beating Djokovic and Milos Raonic. Since winning the title seven years ago, Murray has not come close to repeating his feat due to his hip injury that ruled him out of the 2018 and 2019 tournaments. He has only progressed as far as the third round since his return to action. His performance at the Australian Open should give Murray all the confidence in the world, especially as he will have a home crowd cheering him on.

The Scot beat Berrettini, who is one of the best grass court players in the world, using his skill and nous. Murray should not fear any player other than Djokovic, while even the Serb has had his own injury problems. So, a run to the Wimbledon final is possible.

Why Murray could fail?

The hip and endurance issues have prevented Murray from competing at Grand Slams. His contest against Kokkinakis lasted over five hours and ended at 4 am in Melbourne, however Murray still turned out the next day for a practice session.

His heart certainly has not quit. However, most of his big victories now come in five sets where he can mentally defeat his opponents. Murray is finding it tougher to overcome top players in three sets these days. The grind of five-setters wears down even the healthiest of players, so we can only imagine what it’s doing to Murray’s body. Unfortunately, it might prevent him from a perfect swansong to his career.

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Tim Farthing, Tennishead Editorial Director & Owner, has been a huge tennis fan his whole life. He's a tennis journalist and entrepreneur as well as playing tennis to a national standard. He also helps manage his local club and volunteers for his local tennis organisation. He's a specialist in content about the administration of professional tennis and tennis coaching for all levels.