Mats Wilander makes bold Andy Murray Wimbledon claim

Ewan West 29 Jun 2023 8:05 PM

Andy Murray at the Australian Open

Seven-time major winner Mats Wilander believes Andy Murray can win the 2023 Wimbledon Championships because he is a former champion.

The Swede also declared he expects the Brit to continue competing at Wimbledon for another “four or five years.”

Murray is a two-time champion at the All England Club, having triumphed at the grass court Grand Slam in 2013 and 2016.

The 36-year-old has competed just twice at Wimbledon in singles since undergoing hip resurfacing surgery, losing in the third round in 2021 and second round in 2022.

The world No 39 won back-to-back grass-court Challenger titles in Surbiton and Nottingham earlier this month, losing just one set in 10 matches.

Murray was then routinely beaten 6-3, 6-1 by eventual runner-up Alex De Minaur in the first round of the Queen’s Club Championships last week.

In an interview with Eurosport, Wilander argued his fellow former world No 1 is still capable of triumphing at Wimbledon.

“I think Andy Murray thinks that this is the tournament where he still feels that he can do very well. And very well, in Andy Murray’s mind, is most probably winning it,” said Wilander.

“And do I think he can? Yeah, he can upset people. Can he win it? Well, I don’t know. He’s won it already a couple of times, so yes.”

The 58-year-old then argued two-time Olympic champion Murray is still a long way off playing at Wimbledon for the last time.

“I think we will see Andy Murray figure out a schedule where he can still keep playing Wimbledon for another four or five years, which is so welcome because we want to see these stories,” continued Wilander.

“It’s great for the sport, it’s great for Andy Murray because he’s also turning a leaf around where his attitude early in his career was one way and now his attitude on Wimbledon Centre Court is he wants to bring every person that’s watching him into the match emotionally.

“And he’s so positive and he’s using every possible angle to play better tennis and to make the people enjoy watching him.”

Wilander won the Australian Open, French Open and US Open during his illustrious career, but was unable to complete the Career Grand Slam by adding a Wimbledon title.

The Swede’s best result at SW19 was reaching the quarter-finals in three straight years from 1987 to 1989.