Andy Murray banking on Federer’s lucky 17 stat to win first slam on 17th attempt
By ANIFriday, January 29, 2010
LONDON - After booking his place in the 2010 Australian Open final, British tennis star Andy Murray has indicated that he knows his stats well by pointing out that he is about to embark on the 17th Grand Slam of his career and Roger Federer did not win his first major title until his 17th attempt.
After the most impressive Slam of his career, Murray is just one match away from rewriting history and finding himself in tennis’ hall of greats.
Murray, 22, overcame a nervous start yesterday to beat 14th seed Marin Cilic 3-6 6-4 6-4 6-2.
“I feel good. Physically, I’m going to be fresh for the final. It then just comes down to who plays the better tennis on the day. It’s my job to do that,” The Sun quoted Murray, as saying.
“It’s really important to get to the final. Last year I had a few tough losses in the Grand Slams. At Wimbledon I had a chance to make the final but lost a really, really tight match against Andy Roddick,” he added.
“Getting to the Australian Open final is what I have worked for. It’s why I go to train in Miami at the end of the season. Obviously I want to try and win one.”
If he wins his first Grand Slam, he would become first British man to win major event since Fred Perry in 1936.
“Obviously I’d love to win our first Grand Slam for a very long time. I want to win it for the people I work with and for my parents,” he said.
“Doing it for British tennis and British sport would be excellent too. This is the best I’ve played at a Slam. The match against Rafa Nadal in the quarterfinals was great and, against Cilic, the majority of the match was great as well,” he added.
The fifth seed - who could become world No 2 after this tournament - would have lost to Croatia’s Cilic in the Rod Laver Arena had he not displayed a calm game.
“That shot in the second set was really important because, while I don’t want to say the match was slipping away, the momentum was definitely with him. In the end I was happy to turn it around but I’m more experienced now. I’ve been a set down before in Slams and know how to react,” he said. (ANI)
