Wimbledon: Andy Murray needs luck, says Pat Cash

Andy Murray is getting closer to winning Wimbledon and just needs the 'rub of the green' according to Pat Cash. Picture: Getty

The British number one is set for his final warm-up match in the BNP Paribas Tennis Classic at The Hurlingham Club tomorrow afternoon, where he is, weather permitting, scheduled to meet Japan’s world number 11 Kei Nishikori

Murray, who missed the French Open with a back injury, secured a third AEGON Championships title at Queen’s last weekend, and will be determined to go one better than he did at Wimbledon in 2012 when losing to Roger Federer in the final, before gaining victory over the Swiss to win gold at the Olympics a few weeks later.

Cash - who recorded a famous victory on Centre Court in 1987 against Ivan Lendl, now Murray’s coach - feels if the Scot can earn himself some good fortune this time around, there is every reason to be confident of ending what has been more than a 70-year wait for a British men’s singles Wimbledon champion.

“Andy Murray has just about got everything in his game so far, he might just get that extra bit of luck perhaps, just being able to grab the big points,” Cash said.

“That final with Federer last year was very close, and Andy is getting closer (to winning Wimbledon) all the time.

“Andy is a terrific player, but I do think you need that bit of luck.

“He has had some injury problems, but so far (at Wimbledon) he has just been unlucky, however what is to say that can’t change?

“Andy is very comfortable on Centre Court, when he goes out there he plays better and better.”

Two-time Wimbledon champion Rafael Nadal has been seeded fifth by the All England Club, despite the Spaniard impressing on his return from a knee injury by winning the French Open.

As such, Nadal could be a potential quarter-final opponent for Murray should they both advance through to the second week, while Federer and world number one Novak Djokovic, the top seed, could also well stand in the way of Murray’s quest for glory at SW19.

Cash believes this year’s championships will be an intriguing contest.

“Now Nadal is back, it makes the tournament a lot tougher to win. To have to beat Nadal and then one of the other top players as well is going to be a very tough effort,” the Australian said.

“There are also a lot of guys floating around who will be very tough opponents - (Jo-Wilfried) Tsonga, (Tomas) Berdych, (Juan Martin) Del Potro to name just a few, also there are also a lot of underdogs, like (Grigor) Dimitrov, who is a red-hot young Bulgarian player, (Milos) Raonic, who is one of the up and coming players from Canada, then you have the older guys like Leyton Hewitt.

“All of these guys are really dangerous and will always be a threat to some of the top players and if they catch them early enough, then there could be an upset.

“It really is going to be anyone’s tournament on the men’s side.”

Cash knows full well what a lasting impact becoming Wimbledon champion has.

The Australian’s climb up to the players’ box to embrace long-time coach Ian Barclay and then girlfriend Norwegian model Anne-Britt Kristiansen has gone down in tennis folklore.

For Cash, it was a life-changing experience he will always cherish.

“The more I see these players striving to get to the championships, I realise that ‘wow, what I did was something very special,” Cash said.

“I am now going to always be known as a Wimbledon champion, which was something I wanted to do in my career, and I feel very privileged about that.”