I do realise that Mark Steel is a militant left-winger and he's obviously not to everyone's taste, but this article made me laugh out loud! (mind you I like most of Steel's articles so that probably explains it.)

Mark Steel: If only Andy Murray came from the Home Counties

They can't make up their mind about Andy Murray, can they? He might be British and exciting, with the potential to win things, but according to The Daily Telegraph he "will never make us swoon", because "we liked Tim Henman's Home Counties stiffness far more than the cursing aggression of this young man".


Because that's what makes great champions – Home Counties stiffness. This is what links Tiger Woods, Pele, Brian Lara and Billie Jean King – they were all brought up within five miles of Guildford. And Muhammad Ali was from Hemel Hempstead, where he would boast: "Float like an accountant, sting like a sales director for fitted kitchen units."

Then we were told that Murray can't be popular because he "curls his lip" when he wins a point. What a disgrace. True tennis stars, if they wish to express joy at such moments, write a letter to the Telegraph, such as "Dear Sir: May I convey my deepest satisfaction at the outcome of the preceding rally, which culminated in a victorious lob on my part, the deceptive nature of which rather puts one in mind of General Gordon's successful assault on Khartoum. Yours faithfully."

On top of this, Murray didn't deserve our support, it went on, because "dour Scots are already over-represented in public life". But the bloke won – what's he supposed to do? Should he insist his French opponent goes through anyway because there's already a Scottish Prime Minister? Maybe all sporting events should be decided by which groups are underrepresented in public life, so no matter who won today's matches the semi-finalists would be a Yeoman of the Guard, a Muslim lumberjack, an eskimo and a particularly stiff retired admiral from Sunbury-on-Thames.

For much of Monday's match, many spectators seemed to share the Telegraph's view. Or maybe they were more like the columnist in the Daily Mirror, who told us he'd be at the match but wouldn't support Murray as the player was anti-English. But never mind, because "if the English can survive the Luftwaffe, the IRA and al-Qa'ida, then I fancy our chances against Andy Murray". So apparently we're at war with him.

The columnist was prepared to do his part, boasting: "If Murray throws his pongy sweatbands and they land near me, I shall chuck them straight back." It's exactly that spirit that drove our lads at the beaches of Normandy. Maybe in 50 years' time all these columnists will meet up in reunions, wearing their medals and swapping stories such as: "Me and Billy Acocks were face to face with the buggers, then blow me I've gorn and taken a pongy sweatband right in me blooming chest. But there was no time for grumbling, I've picked it straight up and chucked it back at the blighter, caused him to double-fault. I got a Victoria Cross for that." Discussions on phone-ins on Monday were packed with people complaining that Murray didn't support England at football so they wouldn't support him at tennis.

In different ways, the two main objections to Andy Murray, that he supports Scotland and isn't Home Counties enough, come from a similar place. The people complaining claim to love Britain, but they only really love a tiny bit of Britain – their little bit. Even if someone's British, if they're not from the right region or class or tradition they're still the enemy.

The tennis establishment and much of the Wimbledon crowd loved Henman because to them he represented their Britain, a Britain of Harvest Festivals, home-made damson jam, and Cliff Richard; of "Don't go near the housing estate darling, you'll come back smelling of overalls and milk tokens and ITV"; of campaigning against the proposed new see-saw in the playground as it will "blight the traditional character of the area", of agreeing never to refer to the tragic incident in which the local magistrate was arrested in a public toilet; of teenagers being detained for six hours by the police for playing with yo-yos near the war memorial.

The last British Wimbledon men's singles champion, Fred Perry, recalled being in the shower after winning, and overhearing Tennis Association executives lamenting that someone of his social class would now be a hero.

A similar attitude means tennis is beyond the reach of most kids, which must be one reason why we're so dreadful at it. The answer must be that, just as there are now disabled sports tournaments and a gay Olympics, there should be a stiff Home Counties Wimbledon, with a final between two stockbrokers, in which the winner promises to celebrate by filling in the VAT returns for the local branch of the UK Independence Party.

The Independent

Murray Mania Spreads Across Britain; Nadal Next

Andy Murray became front page news and the talk of British television and radio shows on Tuesday morning after the Scot experienced his "best moment on a tennis court" when he fought back from a two-set deficit to beat Richard Gasquet of France 5-7, 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-2, 6-4 at The Championship on Monday. Match Report

The match, which finished at 9:30 p.m., was watched by 10.5 million viewers on BBC One and BBC Two television channels, achieving a 44.7 per cent audience share.

News of Murray's dramatic comeback was splashed across the front pages of the majority of British newspapers, with The Times stating 'Now Bring on Nadal: Braveheart Murray fights back from the brink'. The Daily Telegraph led with 'Murray Roars On: Amazing comeback earns him place in last eight', while 'Murray: I can beat Nadal' headlined The Guardian and The Sun went with 'Murray Miracle'.

Simon Barnes, the chief sports writer of The Times, wrote "Murray took his game to a level of intensity we have never seen from him before… for the first time, he looked like a man of destiny." While Jim White wrote in The Daily Telegraph that "Andy Murray left it so late there were those on Centre Court who assumed that time had been reversed and they were watching the return of their old flame [Tim Henman]."

The 21-year-old Murray will contest his first Grand Slam quarterfinal against World No. 2 Rafael Nadal, the 2006 and 2007 runner-up (pictured right), who is hoping to become the first player since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to clinch the Roland Garros-Wimbledon double.

"The atmosphere was so fantastic, and as a player that has appreciated it on many occasions, Murray will be looking for the same kind of support on Wednesday," said Henman, the four-time Wimbledon semifinalist, who watched from the BBC commentary box. "On the back of that match I can't not back Murray to make the semis! It's going to be tight, but I'm going for a five-set win for Murray."

Nadal sailed into the quarterfinals with a 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 win over No. 17 seed Mikhail Youzhny of Russia on Monday. Four-time Roland Garros champion Nadal is still waiting to celebrate Spain's 1-0 victory over Germany in the Euro 2008 final on Sunday. He told reporters: "The champagne will have to wait until the end of the tournament. I will have to play my best tennis to get to the semifinals. I can’t go out and celebrate yet."

Murray is looking forward to his first Wimbledon quarterfinal.

"I have to forget about this and recover properly because it's a match I can win," he said. "You know, hopefully I'll start the match well and give everyone belief that I can go on and do it. The atmosphere was great tonight and I'm sure it will definitely equal it on Wednesday."

Nadal holds a 3-0 career advantage, but Murray fondly remembers his five set loss at the 2007 Australian Open.

"I learnt that I could obviously play with him and play at his level," said Murray. "You know, for probably four-and-a-half sets I was up there with him and definitely had my chances. But I think both of our games have changed a bit since then. He's definitely playing better on grass than he was in previous years. I like to think I'm playing a bit better. It's going to be a completely different match to a year and a half ago.

"I have to look at the guys that have given him trouble and the way that [Jo-Wilfried] Tsonga played against him in Australia this year. It's really important to serve well, be aggressive and not give him a chance to start dictating the rallies. That's the game plan against him."

British players have always enjoyed terrific support from Centre Court crowds and spectators on Aorangi Terrace, commonly known as 'Henman Hill', but public respect for Murray will surely now turn to true affection from the British public after his stirring win over Gasquet. Murray is attempting to become the first homegrown player since Fred Perry in 1936 to lift the men’s singles crown.

http://www.atptennis.com/1/en/2008news/wimbledon_murray.asp

I love Steel's article - he has definitely put his finger on something.

Murray is not the most sympathetic or attractive character in the world (nor did Henman come across as such to me when he was playing either), but I am just amazed at the vitriol he gets, quite amazed.

I'm a big fan of the way Steel writes anyway - a really kinda caustic sense of humour. But yeah, some of the rubbish written in national newspapers about Murray, from suppoesdly knowledgeable commentators is fairly poor. I'm not a huge fan of Murray but he's done really well this Wimbledon and I was impressed he cam,e through that Gasquet match. And for people to still be upset about what was quite obviously a silly joke, what, 2 years ago now is just plain daft imho :wacko:

He has put his finger on something and I think it is snobbery. his comments on Fred Perry are spot on , he was considered rough and not good enough in his day and I think a lot of folks are thinking the same with Murray. His dad stood for parlaiment actually as Labour. Tennis still is a snobbish sport, even at fan base. Most of my family and friends don't like it for that reason, and being a very unsnobbish person of working class background, . they are shocked I am in to it. And most to them dislike Henman's typical middle England bent adn as a result are turned off tennis. The more upper class that like ti though hate the Murray class thing so :shrug: we are screwed.

The sport needs to change it's image, sadly it isn't and probably never will do. Even I get screwed off with some players being so privilideged in their background and attitude and I am bored of that. And what anoys me most is when they pretend to be of humble origins. Nothing worse tha that, admit whatyou are and answer to it and then get on with it. :rolleyes: This is why accept Henman cos a. his skill and b. he doesn't pretend to have struggled and c. he wasn't sat around waitign for the LTA system to give him privilidges.

I admit I am class conscious, if you came from my background then you would also be too as I have been discriminated against for that. But it may surprise folks that my partner is of a much higher class - above middel class in the scheme of things I guess - than I am but somehow we got over that and it did not matter, despite my early caution, and him not being a snob and pretentious helped. Class is a strange beast, my mum is probably more snooty than his, :D so it can be overcome. But generally what needs to be done is to convince the 'loeer' classes and make the sport more accissible to them. I honestly think that tennis at least over here does not want to do that, their loss in terms of new players and popularity and so be it. :ok: Tbh from what I have seen and heard, Murray has helped rectify that (despite being middle class but he is perceived as more down to earth that Henman and the likes and less establishment ) - but then again he is Scottish so my family don't feel such a bond but I know my mum likes him so that si something.