sky star 2
Super VIP
- Messages
- 9,792
MURRAY TO ADD TO FEEL-GOOD FACTOR
Andy Murray has been backed to follow in the footsteps of cricket's Ashes heroes and make it a summer to remember for Britain when he plays at the US Open.
With the action at Flushing Meadows starting next week, Murray heads to New York second in the world rankings and with a chance to add to the feelgood factor Andrew Strauss' men created, according to his former coach Mark Petchey.
England's footballers could also edge closer to the World Cup when they play against Croatia next month.
"The cricket was awesome, Fabio Capello has done a wonderful job with the football team and Andy is doing fantastically well so we have a lot to look forward to, especially with the Olympics in 2012 as well," Petchey said.
"We've been in a dark period with the recession and it's almost like sport lifting our spirits."
Petchey believes many factors are going in Murray's favour ahead of the tournament.
"It's the surface he plays his best tennis on so he does go into it feeling he has a great shot of winning it," Petchey said.
"He's been on the brink of it for a while now."
Petchey, who has been supporting the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 in November, is anticipating an exciting tournament in America.
"There are a lot of interesting sub-plots and being number two has implications for Andy potentially not having to play Federer and Nadal back to back," he added. "That could play into his hands.
"Roger Federer in Cincinnati again set the benchmark of how to play tennis so he is the hot favourite. Rafa Nadal has showed signs of coming back and his best might not be far away - if he puts in a big performance in the first week people will take notice."
Andy Murray has been backed to follow in the footsteps of cricket's Ashes heroes and make it a summer to remember for Britain when he plays at the US Open.
With the action at Flushing Meadows starting next week, Murray heads to New York second in the world rankings and with a chance to add to the feelgood factor Andrew Strauss' men created, according to his former coach Mark Petchey.
England's footballers could also edge closer to the World Cup when they play against Croatia next month.
"The cricket was awesome, Fabio Capello has done a wonderful job with the football team and Andy is doing fantastically well so we have a lot to look forward to, especially with the Olympics in 2012 as well," Petchey said.
"We've been in a dark period with the recession and it's almost like sport lifting our spirits."
Petchey believes many factors are going in Murray's favour ahead of the tournament.
"It's the surface he plays his best tennis on so he does go into it feeling he has a great shot of winning it," Petchey said.
"He's been on the brink of it for a while now."
Petchey, who has been supporting the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 in November, is anticipating an exciting tournament in America.
"There are a lot of interesting sub-plots and being number two has implications for Andy potentially not having to play Federer and Nadal back to back," he added. "That could play into his hands.
"Roger Federer in Cincinnati again set the benchmark of how to play tennis so he is the hot favourite. Rafa Nadal has showed signs of coming back and his best might not be far away - if he puts in a big performance in the first week people will take notice."