Bjorn Borg Talks Up Andy Murray As Wimbledon Contender
The five-times Wimbledon champion thinks Rafael Nadal will not retain his title but Britain's No1 can win his first
Rafael Nadal's defence of his Wimbledon title could be hindered by wounded pride as well as his knee injury, according to Bjorn Borg, who thinks the world No1's confidence has been dented by his failure to win a fifth consecutive French Open. Nadal's fallibility may be good news for Andy Murray, with Borg tipping the Scot or Roger Federer to triumph at the All England Club.
Nadal was unable to play in last week's grass court event at Queen's and will require intensive treatment on both knees to be fit for Wimbledon, which begins on Monday. Borg, a former world No1 who won Wimbledon five times, believes that shock fourth-round defeat at the hands of Robin Soderling, coupled with his knee problems, mean Nadal will "not go all the way" at Wimbledon this year.
"He did not play at Queen's this year, and I do not know if his injury is serious or not, but mentally he has not done it this year," said Borg. "He has been playing long matches and winning most of the claycourt events, but coming into Paris he lost against the Swedish guy and was very disappointed after that."
Had Nadal triumphed at this year's French Open he would have been the first player to win the tournament five years in succession, a winning streak one longer than Borg achieved in 1978-81. "For him to win five in a row was a big goal for him. I'm sure he was very disappointed when he went home after Paris. That defeat took him many days to get over," said Borg, speaking at the HSBC Champions of Wimbledon launch event at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
Nadal will prepare for Wimbledon with an exhibition tournament at the Hurlingham Club in London on Friday, injury permitting, but Borg has his doubts that Nadal's troublesome knees will withstand the rigors of next week's major. "He has to be fit at Wimbledon if he wants to go all the way. I don't think he will go all the way this year," he said. "He is a dangerous player because he is the best in the world, but what happened in Paris and then the injury, I am picking Murray or Federer."
Having won the French Open six times in total and Wimbledon five years on the trot before his retirement at the age of 26, Borg can recognise a player with a game geared for success on any surface and he was effusive in his praise for Britain's No1. "He can play on all kinds of surfaces and I was very impressed with what he did on the clay court surface. I don't think he was ready to win Wimbledon last year but it is a different story now."
Nadal was unable to play in last week's grass court event at Queen's and will require intensive treatment on both knees to be fit for Wimbledon, which begins on Monday. Borg, a former world No1 who won Wimbledon five times, believes that shock fourth-round defeat at the hands of Robin Soderling, coupled with his knee problems, mean Nadal will "not go all the way" at Wimbledon this year.
"He did not play at Queen's this year, and I do not know if his injury is serious or not, but mentally he has not done it this year," said Borg. "He has been playing long matches and winning most of the claycourt events, but coming into Paris he lost against the Swedish guy and was very disappointed after that."
Had Nadal triumphed at this year's French Open he would have been the first player to win the tournament five years in succession, a winning streak one longer than Borg achieved in 1978-81. "For him to win five in a row was a big goal for him. I'm sure he was very disappointed when he went home after Paris. That defeat took him many days to get over," said Borg, speaking at the HSBC Champions of Wimbledon launch event at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
Nadal will prepare for Wimbledon with an exhibition tournament at the Hurlingham Club in London on Friday, injury permitting, but Borg has his doubts that Nadal's troublesome knees will withstand the rigors of next week's major. "He has to be fit at Wimbledon if he wants to go all the way. I don't think he will go all the way this year," he said. "He is a dangerous player because he is the best in the world, but what happened in Paris and then the injury, I am picking Murray or Federer."
Having won the French Open six times in total and Wimbledon five years on the trot before his retirement at the age of 26, Borg can recognise a player with a game geared for success on any surface and he was effusive in his praise for Britain's No1. "He can play on all kinds of surfaces and I was very impressed with what he did on the clay court surface. I don't think he was ready to win Wimbledon last year but it is a different story now."
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