London: Tennis legend Boris Becker believes an improved Andy Murray would shatter Novak Djokovic’s dreams of securing an Australian Open hat trick when the two heavyweights meet in the final on Sunday. Becker believes the most important change in men tennis in the past 18 months has been brought by the improvement and development of Murray under coach Ivan Lendl, as everyone saw in the Scot’s brilliant Australian Open semi-final victory over Roger Federer on Friday. “This is why I predict he will win his final in Melbourne against Novak Djokovic on Sunday.” “I expect it to be a similar type of match to the US Open final, a nail-biter over four or five sets, but deep down he knows he has what it takes to beat the defending champion,” he added.
“The margins are narrow: I would rate Murray’s chances as 51 to 49 in his favour. But you can tell that he is operating on a different level to previous years, and that working with Ivan Lendl has made the critical difference,” he further wrote. Becker added “At 25, he is the same age as Djokovic – there are only seven days separating them – and my guess is that these two boys will win lots of grand slam trophies between them over the next three years.” “Murray is a changed man since the London Olympics. He is a different personality on court having beaten Roger Federer in straight sets at Wimbledon to win the gold medal, which has finally unlocked his self-belief,” he wrote. “Losing in those four slam finals must have seriously demoralised him, but he has come through it now. Winning a slam is such a wonderful feeling, and he wants to experience it again,” he added.
ANI
First Published: Saturday, January 26, 2013, 13:36