Murray has a chance to make a statement against Gulbis

Five stats about the world number three’s second round match

After an underwhelming performance against Robert Kendrick in the first round, Andy Murray needs to make a statement to prove that he really is a genuine contender to win Wimbledon. A straight-sets victory over Ernests Gulbis tomorrow would do just that:

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» The Latvian has lost just two of his first 22 Grand Slam matches in straight sets. That compares favourably with the records of Roger Federer (five) and Rafael Nadal (four) while breaking through and is on a par with Murray and Novak Djokovic.

» Gulbis was the only man besides Federer to take a set off Nadal last year at Wimbledon - winning the opener of their second-round match 7-5 to become the only man to hold a set lead over the Spaniard at SW19 in 2008.

Posted: June 24th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Stats about the six leading contenders to win Wimbledon

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Hint: It’s everybody in the picture above except Davydenko and Simon

After waiting for an eternity to see Roger Federer dethroned and a new champion crowned, Rafael Nadal’s withdrawal with injury guarantees that there will once again be a changing of the guard at Wimbledon. Here are some statistics about the six men that the bookmakers consider the frontrunners:

Roger Federer
Best Wimbledon Performance: Winner (2003, 2004, 2005, ‘06, ‘07)
Grass Court Win Rate (prior to Wimbledon 2009): 87%
The world number two was unbeaten in 65 matches on grass prior to last year’s final defeat to Nadal and is quite rightly favourite to regain his title in the Spaniard’s absence. However, coming back from losing the previous year’s final is difficult, with Nadal the only person in the last 18 years to have done so, and nobody since Rod Laver in 1962 has completed a French Open-Wimbledon double at the first time of asking (Bjorn Borg and Nadal both have but not in the year of their first win at Roland Garros).

Andy Murray
Best Wimbledon Performance: Quarter-finals (2008)
Grass Court Win Rate: 78%

Posted: June 23rd, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Andy Murray is 6/4 to make history by winning at Queen’s

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Photo Credit: Sean Dempsey, PA Wire

Reigning champion Rafael Nadal is injured and runner-up Novak Djokovic has opted to join Roger Federer in Halle so Paddy Power have made Andy Murray the 6/4 favourite to win the AEGON Championships. Before last year, it was Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt who ruled the roost at Queen’s, sharing the title between them for eight consecutive years and both will be eager to regain it. Here are some stats about the leading contenders:

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Andy Murray (6/4): There’s no such thing as home advantage at Queen’s, with no Brit triumphing in the men’s tournament’s 37-year history. During that time, local heroes have had their dreams crushed in the final six times.

Andy Roddick (4/1): A-Rod is the King of Queen’s, having won four of the last six AEGON Championships, reaching the semis of the other two. The American has won just two tournaments in the last 15 months however.

Posted: June 8th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment