One of the greatest players of all time – Rod Laver recently spoke about Andy Murray, saying that he could have won a calendar slam, winning all four Majors in the same year. Laver, 81 is the only player to win all four Grand Slams in the same year twice.
“I think Andy could have won a calendar Grand Slam [all four majors in the same calendar year] if he hadn’t been injured,” Laver told Herald and Times Sport. “He learned to play more ‘kill shots’ when he had his opponent down and although the French Open might have been the biggest challenge he definitely had the game to win on clay”.
Laver however, abstained from crowning any of the Big 3 – Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer as the greatest of all time. “Modern racket technology has definitely made the game easier,” Laver explained.
“If [Roger], Federer, [Rafael] Nadal, [Novak] Djokovic, were playing with wooden racquets, they couldn’t play some of the shots they can execute now. That’s why comparing players of different eras and claiming particular players’ as the greatest of all time is a pointless exercise.
All you can really say is that certain players were the greatest of their era and I would put Roger in that category.” The race to the total Grand Slam tally is getting closer by every passing major with Roger Federer on 20, Rafael Nadal on 19 and Novak Djokovic quickly closing in the gap on 17.
‘Andy Murray is my inspiration’ – Dominic Thiem hails Scot as role model in Grand Slam hunt
Dominic Thiem says he can draw inspiration from Andy Murray as he tries to tries to make the big three a big four.
Thiem has lost three Grand Slam finals, all against Rafael or Novak Djokovic.
He returned to his native Austria to talk to the press in his homeland this week and appeared to be in a very positive frame of mind, hailing Andy Murray as a ‘role model’.
“Andy Murray lost four Grand Slam finals before winning three and becoming number one in the world. I take him as a role model.” He said with a smile.
“But I may also lose the next two Grand Slam finals. (Rafael) Nadal has to be hit on the clay, Djokovic is the best on hard court, and (Roger) Federer can still Win Wimbledon.’
“Behind them, I will also have to consider Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Daniil Medvedev.”
Thiem also reflected on his Australian Open final defeat, and the extra days to consider it seemed to have left him i ore philosophical mood.
“On the one hand it was Final defeat a disappointment, on the other hand a huge motivation for the next big tournaments.
“The first two lost (grand slam) finals were clear against Rafael Nadal in Paris (French Open). I was far away then.
“This time it was close, it could have been different, I can blame myself. I’ve never been so close.”
