Thursday 11 June 2015 20:38, UK
Following an impressive campaign on clay, Andy Murray has a "great chance" of claiming his second Wimbledon title, says tennis expert Greg Rusedski.
Former British No 1 Rusedski was joined at the new Gleneagles courts in Scotland by former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash.
Both believe Murray, who was runner-up to world No 1 Novak Djokovic in Australia as well as the semi-finals at Roland Garros, is peaking at just the right time heading into the grass-court season.
"I think he's got a great chance," Rusedki told Sky Sports News. "He goes in as second favourite behind Djokovic who has to be the man to beat right now obviously being the defending champion, but Murray is healthy again and playing great.
"Since he's been married he's only lost one match out of 16 so I think this could possibly be his year again.
"What will be fascinating will be how the seedings come out at Wimbledon because they can play with those seedings. Will he be seeded two or three? That could make a difference at these championships."
He goes in as second favourite behind Djokovic who has to be the man to beat right now obviously being the defending champion, but Murray is healthy again and playing great.
Future champion
Cash, a winner at the All England Club in 1987, believes Murray has made massive improvements to his game after collecting ATP titles in Munich and Madrid and can become a French Open champion in the future.
"It's two years in a row that he's been in the semi-finals of the French Open on the surface you would least expect him to do well on," said Cash.
"He's done well in all the other Slams, but it's not as if he's grown up not playing on the clay.
"Now I think he feels that he is capable of winning the French Open and that's a great thing.
"He's had a great run throughout the whole clay-court season and only losing the semi-final to Djokovic so that's encouraging and certainly encouraging for him going on for the rest of the year as well."
He's had a great run throughout the whole clay-court season and only losing the semi-final to Djokovic so that's encouraging and certainly encouraging for him going on for the rest of the year as well.
Tide is turning
With nine-time French Open champion Rafa Nadal exiting the tournament at the quarter-final stage and then Stan Wawrinka shocking Djokovic in the final, both now believe the tide is turning in the men's game.
"We saw another French Open winner and not just Rafa Nadal," said Cash. "Wawrinka has really proved that he needs to be taken as a serious contender in the Grand Slams so we've got four, five and even six players with (Marin) Cilic last year and (Kei) Nishikori, so men's tennis is not just the Roger (Federer) and Rafa show and Novak and Andy - there are other players coming up so that's very exciting."
Meanwhile, Rusedski added: "There is a little bit of a changing of the guard, but I think Murray right now is in great form and it will be interesting to see how Djokovic bounces back from that big defeat at the French Open."
