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  • Murray has huge task trying to match home hero Henman

    12/31/09 4:47 AM | Johan Lindahl
    Murray has huge task trying to match home hero Henman Andy Murray has the perfect chance to start polishing his reputation for the British public when he partners junior Wimbledon winner Laura Robson at the Hopman Cup starting at the weekend.

    Despite achieving a No. 4 ranking, Scotland's Murray has yet to earn the sporting love of home fans, with supporters lukewarm at best.

    With Britain playing at the eight-nation Hopman event in Perth, Western Australia, for the first time in decades, Murray might be able to lift this image with a week of good performances at the
    men's and women's mixed event.

    All during his career, the 22-year-old Murray has been trying to replace former hero Tim Henman in public admiration. But there is a major cultural difference between the young gruff Scot and the
    Oxford-born blueblood Henman, whose family tennis pedigree goes back two generations.

    But Henman, now retired, is a strong defender of Murray, saying that his failure to get on with the country's tabloid media is no shortcoming. "No wonder he has put the barriers up," Henman told
    Scottish media. "The press want more of your personality. They can be a distraction, and I didn't want any distractions.

    Henman, now a BBC commentator, admits he ignored the press as much as possible during his career, an option not really open to Murray with Britain still looking for a Wimbledon men's champion three-quarters of a century after Fred Perry last did it.

    Henman called media attention - especially during Wimbledon - "just an absolute circus."

    "When I was the center of attention, I never read the newspapers, I wouldn't listen to the commentators. Some of the stuff you read in the papers is rubbish, just off the charts. It's mind-boggling."




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Comments

This is the most stupid article ever i would love to know how the author sourced their knowledge that andy recieves 'lukewarm' addoration from british fans?
They obviously didnt attend wimbeldon or queens this year!
And as for winning over the fans andy has won more in three short years than henman did in an entire career and for me results speak louder than sentiments!
Come on tennis talk you can do better than this!!!

sienna020 , 12/31/09 10:08 AM


In the last few years Andy has moved miles from the 'young gruff Scot' he may once have been, but then, who could blame him after the terrible way the media treated him when he was just a teenager? In my opinion, Andy receives far from a lukewarm reception when he enters the court at a home event - he always receives enthusiastic cheering. In his match agaist Wawrinka at Wimbledon for example, the crowd were going wild for him!

sidespin , 12/31/09 11:11 AM


I agree with both the above. Andy has already accomplished more than Henman did in his entire career. British fans who love tennis appreciate him.

deuce , 12/31/09 6:02 PM



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