Will Britain learn to love Andy Murray?

Andy Murray has become a hero overnight. The trouble is, so far it's only in America.

The British No 1's stunning victory over Rafael Nadal, which has earned him a place in tonight’s US Open final against Roger Federer, is being hailed across the pond by fans, celebrities and his peers.

But for some reason, many over here still fail to be stirred by the Scotsman, thinking of his surly appearance before his superb groundstrokes and his body language before his clear determination to win.

But why the apathy? Is it because Britain loves a plucky loser? Surely it can't still be for the joke he cracked about England's football team, hoping they would get beaten in the World Cup because he is Scottish?

Maybe this is an English thing, not British, and the proud son of Scotland is rightly lauded in his home nation. It could be that he is so focused on winning tennis matches that he doesn’t care too much for PR and how he is perceived. Should we be more understanding and proud?

A quick look at the facts tells us that Murray deserves worldwide admiration. He won the junior US Open in 2004, reached the quarter-finals of Wimbledon this year, has a favourable head-to-head record against Federer (Murray leads 2-1 from the matches they have played) ... and he is still only 21.

Perhaps Murray is simply unlucky to be a part of a generation that has spawned some exceptional young players at the same time: Nadal is 22 and Novak Djokovic 21. It should be remembered that Federer, thought of by many as the greatest player of all time, had only reached the quarter-finals of a grand-slam tournament at the same stage of his career as Murray is at now.

So what will it take for Murray to be taken the bosom of the British fans? Must he win the US Open tonight? Will a Wimbledon crown do it?

Or does he have to take Federer to five sets before losing heroically, only to offer a few jokes in the post-match press conference?

Can you learn to love Murray? Have your say below.

Comments

[Alan]

How can you not "love" a player who risks losing the 5th most prestigious (and profitable)tournament of the year, because he just had to give his best against the man he often describes as "the greatest player ever"? Compare the way Djokovic, already sure of his place in the Shanghai semis, laughingly conceded his third set and the match against Tsonga. Given Andy's next match, after a mere 19 hours respite, against the very well rested and relentles Davydenko, Andy's 3rd victory of the tournament and 4th against Fed may prove to have been pyrrhic. But far from proving him a loser, it surely confirms what a winner and sportsman he is.

[Gina]

I loved Henman and I love Murray. It is wonderful to have top class sportsmen representing Britain and so I support all of them.
Andy Murray is a fantastic tennis player. He has such a versatile game being a master of defence and excellent in attack with a serve which is getting better and better and one of the best service returns in men's tennis.We should enjoy him while we have him!

[djmac]

Scotland LOVES him!!

That's MORE than enough!!

(Oh and he is a HIBS supporter!!)

[Arrow]

dear susan
can you please point to where Andy Murray said he "hated the English"? i believe he did sy that he would not be supporting England in the world cup but is there any reason why a Scot should? there are many who do but i thnk that there are many in England have adopted the quite racist Norman Tebbit view regarding who do the members of the public from the Asian sub-continent view support when England are playing India/Pakistan. why should the Scots,Welsh, Irish support England (support Britain yes) but then England and Britain are not interchangable (or are they?)

[Carole]

Andy Murray is a fantastic tennis player, athlete, sportsman. He is focused on what he does and does it well. It is typical of the media to try to crush him (as they do)To do well one has to be competitive and be determined, nothing wrong with that in a role model. Leave him alone. Come on Andy, the UK are behind you!

[Finty]

Yeah, good point JW – you wouldn’t want your sons to have a fiercely competitive and (even at this early stage) hugely successful sporting role model now would you? If you’re lucky maybe they’ll ‘rise’ to a position of perennial mediocrity, get a Persil endorsement and make you very happy.

I take it you’re not actually a tennis fan. . .

[J.Williams]

Love Murray....like why?
Not the type of person I would wish my sons to look up to as a fitting sporting example.

[Casper]

I believe that news papers write this rubbish to see what idiots bite. Guess what......they do. Andy will continue to do what he does best.....win. He doesnt bend over back wards for the press and its their own fault. He has a dry sense of humour and they just dont get him...and guess what...he dont care.

[JR]

I like him, he's not pretending to be something he's not. He's gladiatorial and in tennis it's mano-a-mano and there's nowhere to hide. He's not chastened by any challenge or diminished by minor setbacks.

A Scot or not (you can't have everything) he'll do for me!!

[Joy]

I think Andy Murray is awesome and the Brits should be proud of him. The level of tennis he brings to the game is just simply fabulous and much as I love Roger F, I love to see other guys who bring their game to another level to make the competition fierce and interesting.

[Paul H]

To LYNNE, very, very, very, very and very well said! Are these people ever going to grow up?

[Lynne]

To Damian - Your remarks are inaccurate and offensive. I'm a Scot and I have nothing against England. I see you mentioned Murray 'knocking the English'. I'm assuming you're referring to the world cup joke - why am I surprised? During the US Open Tim Henman and the journalist who interviewed Murray in 2006 were in the press re: the anti-English nonsense that seems to get mentioned every single time Murray is in the news. The journalist said 'some of the nonsensical criticism Murray has received is laced with such misplaced venom and outrage that it makes me despair'. Both he and Henman stated ONCE again that Murray's remark was in response to Henman and another journalist ribbing Murray about Scotland not qualifying for the World Cup. Strange how Murray accepted the joke about Scotland. Banter huh?

The 'anyone but England' remark was clearly a joke and was taken as such by the interviewer and Henman. The remark was taken out of context and more than 2 years on it's still mentioned in articles about Murray. If it had been the other way round I wouldn't have decided that Henman was anti-Scottish. If people want to be mad at anyone then they should be mad at the idiotic journalist who tried to ruin the career of a 18 year old boy before it had really started. Yes, Andy was only 18.

Were you aware that thousands of English supporters bombarded and shut down Murray's website with messages such as 'you should have died in Dunblane' after the journalist decided to label Andy 'anti-English'. Was that friendly banter? Is it any wonder Murray still seems uncomfortable with the press. I had hoped the majority of English people would have moved on but still on websites such as eurosport, youtube and some of the English based press (2 years on) I read the same racist, rude and downright vile comments about the British no. 1. Andy Murray plays for Andy Murray. He only represents Great Britain in Davis Cup.

During Wimbledon this year I read an article in the Telegraph which included the paragraph 'Physically he's looking more attractive these days with a better haircut, a less stringy physique and the hint of a tan on his hitherto pasty face. Yet he still seems unable to charm us. It's not just that he comes across as another dour Scot at a time when the breed is over-represented in public life. Every picture of him shows him shouting, usually at himself, with his mouth so wide open that he could be about to eat the ball'. Should the Scots not be offended by that?

After the US Open final there was an article in an English newspaper that included a piece entitled 'I laughed my head off when Andy Murray lost the US Open final'. Is that banter as well? You DO NOT read articles like that in Scotland about Andy.

Andy Murray has NEVER said he has a problem with being called Scottish or British. He has corrected commentators who have called him English - simply because he's not English.

Andy Murray is now 4th in the world and is applauded by tennis stars both past and present. It's such a shame that SOME British people continue to knock Andy despite him being a dedicated and extremely talented sportsman. You never see him drunk, falling out of nightclubs or fighting with photographers do you? Which is more than can be said for a lot of the football players.

I for one hope Andy wins in Shanghai and has a successful 2009. Scotland will be rooting for him and I'm sure that millions of other fans in Great Britain will be as well. To the petty, ignorant people who don't get behind the British no.1 – you won't be missed.

With regard to Lewis Hamilton. Congratulations to him on his amazing success. I personally would have more respect for him though if he stayed in Britain and paid his tax like the rest of us. BTW his success was plastered all over the Scottish press. We Scots do celebrate British success.

[Damian Williamson]

The problem in this whole debate is that Scotland has more against England than England does about Scotland.

If Murray was English/British, nothing would be made of it, but indeed a point has been made that he is Scottish, where as if he is representing Britain, it shouldnt really matter.

Scotland do seem to make a point of separating themselves from the English more, although there are many people in England who take the Anglo-Scottish rivalry as more simple banter, rather than hatred.

I dont speak for all Scotsmen, and the Scottish people i know in England never make any such comments, but through media, it to me seems the case that knocking England seems more important to some full blooded Scots than vice versa.

If anyone wishes to disagree, then Murray therefore deserves some stick for knocking the English when he is a professional sportsman. When did you see Lewis Hamilton knocking the Scottish after becoming a champion representing Britain?

[ed]

He has my vote and I'm English. Sensational player perhaps it's not the people but the press wanting a pinup rather than a human being.

[d Corbet]

I think we should be so proud of this young man as having great determination and committment to be the best he can be. We should celebrate the success of young people more afterall they are the future. Well Done! Andy your a star that shines for us all.

[Carlos]

Why is it that everyone views Murray as representing Britain. Yes in the Davis Cup, but the rest of the time?

Put simply on the ATP tour he does not represent Britain at all. He represents himself as a professional sportsman.

Get over yourselves. Yes support him, but don't go making a national issue of it all for pity's sake!

[Alan]

Three years ago, when AM was ranked only 205 in the world, he was allowed to play in our local (Aptos, California) Challenger tournament as a wild card. Having displayed on the court the same blend of athleticism, virtuosity, intelligence and occasionally grumpy perfectionism that is now familiar to tennis lovers all over the world, he accepted the trophy with an articulate and gracious speech that impressed everyone who heard it. After that promising start, he showed the same brilliance (and, dare I say, maturity?) in winning two more tournaments (ATP level, San Jose) in our area, where, I reckon, based on the churlish evidence of some of your respondents, he is more popular than he is in England. He may still not have the power of the three men ranked above him, but he is conceivably the cleverest tactician and stroke-maker since McEnroe. Being PROUD of him is not the point. Failing to appreciate Murray's artistry and talent, whatever ones nationality, reveals crass ignorance of the difficulty of his sport and his contribution to it.

[Kenny Moore]

Great tennis players, which Murray may well become one day, are not really just admired by their own nationals...are they? In fact, the same goes for all great performers in virtually all fields; with the possible exception of Diego Maradona in certain quarters...ahem.

[Elaine S]

I am very proud of Andy's achievem,ents and even though I am Scottish I was a big fan of Tim Henman's and to me he was just a great Bristish tennis player, Andy is a great British tennis player and for all tennis fans it should be nothing at all which part of Britian he comes from but the fact a Brit is bringing back the passion of tennis and a chance which has evaded us for such a long time to actually have a Brit win Wimbledon. Andy has also helped to encourage loads of kids to start taking up tennis and at the end of the day how wonderful it will be to have future champs from all parts of Britain. Please all you Andy haters because he is Scottis, just grow up and enjoy the fact that a Brit is doing really well in tennis!

[mariel]

i mean, there's a big difference between andy murray before -- and andy murray now :)

[mariel]

umh..i think i'm in love with andy murray now ♥

[Feona Bowey]

At last, at the age of 27 I've discovered there is someone of my own generation to look up to who isn't fame obsessed and believes in hard work.

And yes I'm English - and Andy, your welcome as one of our own in Newcastle!

[tone]

Britain does love Andy Murray. Last time i looked, Scotland and Wales were part of Britain, and they appreciate him if not love him. Typical English centrism.

[J.Williams]

Will Britain learn to love Murray ..only if he takes young Tom Daley into his vast retenue to teach him how to conduct himslelf win or lose as a sportsman on and off the court. In front of the media improvement is..... doubtful, 'ya know, ya know!!!!

[craig edwards]

The fact is, Murray openly stated that he would always support the opponents of England in any sporting event, this sought of comment hardly endears you to over 60% of the population of GB. I personally find that sought of comment quite arrogant and childish.