Andy Murray does not need anyone to remind him that every time he steps onto Centre Court at Wimbledon, he is carrying the weight of an entire nation on his shoulders. It has been 75 years since an Englishman last won Wimbledon, and ever since Andy Murray broke into the Top-10 in the world, he has been pinned as the next great chance for England. Everytime he walks out on Centre Court at Wimbledon, Andy Murray is not just playing for himself; he is playing for the entire country of England, which has been let down year after year for 75 years. Murray would be the first to tell you that he does not feel any extra pressure playing in front of his home crowd at Wimbledon. However, if you were to somehow go inside his brain, there is no doubt in my mind that Andy Murray feels the weight of the entire country of England on his shoulders everytime he plays a match at Wimbledon.
Most people would say that Andy Murray has a great chance to make a deep run at Wimbledon this year. I completely agree. After winning a grass-court tournament at Queen's Club last week, Murray's confidence on grass has got to be at an all-time high. Even with his recent successes on grass, I would have to put Murray as the 4th favorite at Wimbledon, behind Nadal, Djokovic, and Federer. While that definitely does not mean Murray cannot win, it will not be easy. The best case for the Scot would be to cruise throught the first couple of rounds, both gaining confidence and support from the home crowd. This should be a real advantage for Murray if he makes it to the quarterfinals or beyond. The support of everyone in the crowd is always a positive thing, especially for a player like Murray. However, if Murray fails to win Wimbledon this year, it will cause a familiar feeling throughout the country of England: the feeling of disappointment and being let down. We can only hope that England has to deal with these feelings for only a few more years.
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