Will This Year’s Wimbledon be Andy Murray’s Maiden Major Victory?

After the astonishing defeat of Rafael Nadal by the unheard of yet outstanding Lucas Rosol, the draw has opened up massively for Brit Andy Murray. This a real chance for Murray to win Wimbledon, a feat which has eluded a male British tennis player for over 70 years.

Murray’s first challenge is Croat Marin Cilic, who is unbeaten on grass this year, albeit winning Queen’s by default after David Nalbandian’s rush of blood. Murray boasts a good record against Cilic, winning 5 of their 6 previous encounters as well as their only match on grass before this fourth round match up.

After winning the first set (7-5) and going a break up, Murray looks in good shape to reach the quarter final, where he will face David Ferrer or the dangerous Juan Martin Del Potro. Both of whom will pose Murray a serious threat to his Wimbledon aspirations. Ferrer recently beat Murray at Roland Garros but Murray will fancy his chances on grass where Ferrer is less comfortable. Del Potro is only player to win a major other than the top three in the last 29 majors and so certainly has the game to disrupt Murray with a massive serve and booming groundstrokes to boot.

Also in Murray’s half of the draw is Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga who will be a stern test, especially considering Tsonga was a beaten semi-finalist at Wimbledon last year after an impressive win over Federer in five sets, Tsonga also holds a grass court victory over Rafael Nadal and is more than competent on the surface. Murray will take solace in the fact that he beat Tsonga in the final of Queen’s last year but he must be wary of Tsonga’s talents. Tsonga will have to overcome American Mardy Fish if he is to progress and the Frenchman is a set down before rain stopped play for the day.

Awaiting Murray in the final were he to make it will surely be world number 1 Novak Djokovic or all-time leading Grand Slam winner Roger Federer. However with Federer looking less than impressive in his win over Julian Benneteau, it would be a brave man to bet against the Serbian juggernaut from reaching his second successive Wimbledon final.

Whether Murray can overturn the Serb to win his maiden Grand Slam title is yet to be seen, but with a nation longing for a Grand Slam winner since Fred Perry Murray must first battle the pressure on his shoulders from the weight of a nation and overcome the tough challenges in place before he can contest a first Wimbledon final.