In-depth: Nightmare draw stands between Andy Murray and 2015 validation
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Updated 07/09/2015 at 12:01 GMT
Andy Murray has had a strong season and is in the last 16 at the final Grand Slam, the US Open - but now, the hard work truly begins.
Andy Murray celebrates after winning a point against Adrian Mannarino
Image credit: Reuters
TIME FOR THE ACID TEST
While a return up the rankings and the end of his losing streak against Novak Djokovic means this year has been a return to prominence for the Scot following a frustrating 2014, Murray will not be satisfied unless he has one 2015 Grand Slam to his name - and this is his last chance.
That last chance is not going to be easy, however. Murray's fourth-round opponent is Kevin Anderson - while Murray is 5-1 in the head-to-head against the South African, he will have to graft to see off his 14th-ranked opponent.
After that, he would likely face Stan Wawrinka in the quarter-finals, Roger Federer in the semis and Djokovic in the final if he is to go all the way. In short, it's going to be a slog for Murray if he's to clinch a second Flushing Meadows title.
WHAT'S MURRAY'S TAKE ON THIS?
Murray had to fight back from two sets down to beat Adrian Mannarino in the second round before seeing off Thomaz Bellucci more efficiently over three in the following round. On the unexpected five-setter, and the conditions, he said:
The match I played with Mannarino, the first two sets were extremely tough, the third set was quick, the beginning of the fourth was very hard and then after that it wasn’t. In the fifth set we barely played any [long] points. The conditions were brutal, both of us were extremely tired and the level of tennis wasn’t great. The match was, like, three hours, 15 minutes and a couple of the sets were not that challenging. Novak [Djokovic] managed to recover from a five-hour match [his semi-final against Murray in Melbourne three years ago] and play six hours a couple of days later [beating Rafael Nadal in the final] so I can recover, I think, from three hours.
THE DAVIS CUP FACTOR
Also on Murray's mind is his planned participation in Great Britain's Davis Cup semi-final in Glasgow a week after the action concludes in New York.
He admitted: “Obviously if I was to lose in the next round I’d have more time to prepare for the Davis Cup, which is a big priority between now and the end of the year. But ideally I would be going into the Davis Cup having played on the [last] Sunday here.
“I don’t feel more stressed by it, but I have had thoughts about it. Obviously I’ve played a lot of tennis and I’m thinking about maybe by the time I get to the Davis Cup I could be flat or even here towards the end of the tournament. I hope that’s not the case because I did plan it with my team about my training and stuff so that wouldn’t be the case. But you always have thoughts like that about big events, especially with Davis Cup.”
WHAT ARE THE CHANCES, THEN?
Bookmakers Paddy Power have Murray as third favourite, behind potential final opponent Djokovic and potential semis foe Federer. His likely obstacle assuming he gets past Anderson, Wawrinka, is fourth favourite. That serves as an indication of the fact Murray truly will have to beat the best to be the best on this occasion.
- Djokovic - 4/5
- Federer - 11/4
- Murray - 11/2
- Wawrinka - 16/1
- Cilic - 40/1
- Tsonga - 40/1
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