Andy Murray ‘has heart of a lion’ as Boris Becker gives verdict after Wimbledon exit

Andy Murray compared to Novak Djokovic by McEnroe

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Andy Murray has the heart of a lion and is a role model for the young players on the ATP Tour, according to Boris Becker. The Brit exited Wimbledon at the hands of Denis Shapovalov on Friday. But he still did the nation proud, showing remarkable courage during his time in the competition.

Murray has been plagued by injuries in recent years, with the Brit still a far cry from the player he used to be.

His future in the sport is currently up in the air in the wake of his defeat to Shapovalov, who cruised through to round four with a 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 win on Friday.

But Becker has now hailed the 34-year-old, insisting his attitude sets him apart and comparing the troubled star to a ‘lion’ for the attitude he’s shown.

In an interview with The Guardian, he said: “I could talk at length about why Britain doesn’t produce the greatest players.

“A lot of coaches pick their players because they have a nice forehand, but you can learn that.

“You can’t learn attitude. Look at Andy [Murray]. He’s not the most talented but he’s got the heart of a lion.

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“He’s dedicated, he’s got a mother who knows a lot about the sport, he’s got a talented brother. That’s a nice package.

“I wonder whether some of the junior players have the right attitude.”

Becker also opened up on emotions in tennis, insisting Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are all at the top because they’re able to keep them in cheque.

And he praised tennis for starting to understand mental health, with Naomi Osaka struggling in recent times.

“Tennis is a very logical sport,” he said.

“I’ve always tried to instil that knowledge in players I’ve coached. You don’t win a game of tennis by luck or by surprise.

“If you follow the rules and you’re physically fit, you’re going to win more games than you lose. Tennis is one of the few sports where you only have to defeat the other guy.

“It’s important to learn to control your emotions and to not give up the fight until the last point is played.

“That’s what Roger [Federer] and Rafa [Nadal] have got. Novak [Djokovic] could write the book about that.

“I love Djokovic’s attitude. He’s like a street fighter.

“But when I started coaching him, I took the time to get to know the person away from the player. The person is very different to the player you see on the court.

“The player is mechanical, even cold. But he’s the opposite in private. He’s got the most endearing character you can find.

“I always found it intriguing how those two personalities can exist within one person.

“I’m pleased that sport is starting to understand mental health. There’s been a lot of discussion about Naomi Osaka pulling out of the French Open because of bouts of depression.

“It’s very worrying, I think the struggle is real. It’s easier said than done – with winning comes expectations and responsibilities – but feeling good about yourself will always be more important than winning.

“The tennis community has to make sure they’re not putting players under too much pressure.”

Murray, meanwhile, has now explained his biggest Wimbledon regret – insisting he wasn’t at his best throughout the competition.

“The positives would be that physically I got through three matches in five days and spent way more time on than court than I have done recently,” he said.

“Physically I handled it relatively well.

“The atmospheres were amazing and the fans were brilliant. I’d missed that a lot.

“The negatives? My tennis, really. I didn’t play to the level that I would like. Some of that is understandable due to my lack of matches.

“But that’s what I’m disappointed with. I think I could have done better.

“I was 5-1 up in the third set of my first match and didn’t see that through, I was a set and a break up in my second match and let that slip as well. Tennis-wise, there is a lot I need to work on.

“I would love to be back next year. I just need to weigh everything up and see if everything I’m putting into it is worth it.

“I’ve put so much time and effort in to try and get myself physically ready but I’m not getting enough time and momentum on the tennis court to compete.

“These guys are great players, they hit huge balls and my game needs to be spot on if I want to compete. I’ve not had enough opportunities to do that.”

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