I think it was last week when I heard something that made me spit my soda. It was during some live coverage of some ATP match (clearly a very innnnteresting match) on the Tennis Channel when I heard one of the commentators remarking on "The Big Four" - Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray. THE BIG FOUR??! Cue the spittage.
C'mon guys. We're living in a post-Wimbledon 2011 world where Nole owns three majors and the top ranking. And we know all the hardware Rafa + Fed have hauled over the years. So how the hell can anyone think Muzz fits into this group anymore, especially after today's 6-3, 6-1 loss to Kevin Anderson at the Rogers Cup in Montreal (as a 2-time defending champ no less)? He was barely hanging on by a ginger thread before Wimby and even less afterward. And now this loss. I'm stunned by the 'The Big Four' talk, which is kinda the way Muzz looked today. So let's not.
P.S. Is it my uber-critical eye or is he starting to lose his locks? If he is, nobody mention it. He's probably not going to take it well today. Just a thought.
[Photo(s) credit: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images]
Um, Nole has two slams and Rafa has two....
ReplyDeleteOtherwise fully agree - Murray doesn't belong in that group.
I guess one could say that he's still part of the "Big Four" when it comes to non-Slam events, but the results today made even that qualification moot. I feel sorry for the dude.
ReplyDelete@ Steph - Right, they currently hold two each. I was talking overall major titles.
ReplyDelete@ Ryan T - It's a bad sign when people need to start qualifying the results. I can't see the other three losing that badly in a first round match. It's not that he lost but how he lost. WTF?
Hey all. I'm sorry, but I'm still a big 4 believer! Just look at what Murray's accomplished the past couple of years: Sure, there's no Slam titles, but multiple wins over the other three and plenty of deep runs at the Majors, plus a career-high 2 ranking, does it for me.
ReplyDelete@ van: You too Van?!?! SAY IT ISN'T SO. I'm not saying he doesn't have a good record but saying he belongs in the same group with Rafa, Fed and Nole is INSANE. He could lead the next group - like a second tier under the Big 3.
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