John McEnroe: Andy Murray may never regain top spot... but take heart from Tiger Woods' return

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Wimbledon last year was notable for the absence of Andy Murray, six months prior to what now looks increasingly like career-saving surgery.

Murray is missing from the singles draw again this year, but will partner Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the men’s doubles, using it as a potential stepping stone back to the top of the game.

While his fans remain hopeful he will have done just that by next year’s Championships, former champion John McEnroe has warned that day may never come.

“Singles is a totally different animal,” he said. “The big part of Andy’s game was relying on court coverage. He’s one of the best movers the game has ever seen.

“If you lose five per cent of that, you’re dropping from, say, No4 in the world to 15. Any more than that and you’ll have a tough time in not heading in the wrong direction down the world rankings.

In Pictures | Andy Murray's 2019 comeback

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“I don’t know how close he is to 100 per cent and I’d love him to have to a solid year and get back to the top 10, but it’s going to be tough starting off.

"He’ll need to play a lot of events, he won’t be able to pick and choose. Hopefully, this surgery does it, but everyone knows it was his last-ditch attempt.”

For now, Murray has set himself the ambition of playing singles around the time of the US Open, but the idea he might go on to add to his three Grand Slams is unlikely, according to McEnroe.

“With an injury of that severity, it’ll be hard to get back to that level again,” he said. “Sometimes, when you get away from the game, you realise how much you love it — and that love could be pretty inspirational for him.

"It would be a tall order, but we’ve had Tiger Woods winning the Masters after eight surgeries, so who knows?”

In pictures | The Masters 2019

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Without the threat of a fit Murray, McEnroe said it was difficult to look beyond the defending champion for this year’s winner.

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“It’s hard not to pick from Roger [Federer], Novak [Djokovic] and Rafa [Nadal],” said the American, who somewhat ironically, given his past on-court outbursts, has partnered with American Express for an app to help Wimbledon spectators stay calm under tournament pressure.

McEnroe on the stresses of Wimbledon

The stress of Wimbledon was something you may have noticed I never handled particularly well as a player.

You put pressure on yourself as it’s the ultimate. You want to play your best so you stress about that, the opponent, the people’s expectations.

It’s a moment you dream about but then you have these amazing ups and downs - it’s an emotional rollercoaster.

I had success in a frenzied way but others like the big three have a way of finding an even keel on court I could never find.

I put so much stress on myself trying to win it and it became hard. I didn’t want it to become a chore so I have sympathy watching the players every year.

“And, for me, Novak is the one to beat, although Rafa looked more comfortable on the grass last year.

“But a lot rests on the draw and whether any of those guys come up against some rougher customers earlier on. If it’s a big server in the first round when you’re not into your rhythm, that’s tough, but it’s hard to look beyond the big three.”

Djokovic, Nadal and Federer have won the past 10 Grand Slams between them and only Murray and Stan Wawrinka have broken up that trio’s hegemony in the past five years.

But McEnroe believes the one player in the draw who can upset the established order is 20-year-old Greek, Stefanos Tsitsipas.

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“The big three just have this incredible will to win, but it would be good for the game if there were other winners,” he said.

“Tsitsipas is the young guy I’d pick above everyone else. He’ll be winning Majors sooner rather than later.

“It’s all about your competitive fire. He’s got the size and the shots — and he’s not afraid of anyone. It woud be great to see him become a Grand Slam winner soon.”

John McEnroe partners with American Express and Calm to create a Sleep Story detailing the rules of tennis, designed to soothe the nerves of tense tennis fans — available at the American Express Fan Experience on-site at Wimbledon and on the Calm app

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