Rio Update

With the Rio Olympics well under way, everyone’s watching out for the big names.

Yes, many tennis players aren’t a fan of participating in the Olympics; there isn’t any money to be made, nor points to be gained, but the allure of the gold is something that could be compared Wimbledon, and the spirit of a team is something that you just never get to experience while on tour.

Murray thrives in a team environment. If any of you have read Murray’s autobiography, you kind of get the feeling that he’s an emotional soul. He gets lonely sometimes, and his anger isn’t really anger, but a manifestation of frustration and the immense amount of pressure he puts on himself. The Olympics is where he thrives. He has a team, his countrymen, with him and around him. They can have lunch together, go out together, and I’m sure Murray loves the environment.

The 2012 London Olympics proved it, with Murray snatching the Gold while Roger had to be content with second on the podium.

Will Murray be able to repeat his London Olympics escapade? With Murray bearing Great Britain’s flag during the parade, and stating that it is his ‘proudest moment’ we can say he’s off to a pretty great start.

His chances have increased tremendously. With Roger out of the picture, and Djokovic going down to Del Potro in straight sets (7-6 (4), 7-6 (2)) in a stunning first round, the draw for Murray has really cleared up.

But it won’t be that simple. Del Potro has already shown that he’s ready to whip that forehand cross court with his newly healed wrist (let’s hope it stays that way). Nadal might be an obstacle, but really, based recent performance, I doubt that Murray will have that much of a problem.

Although Murray and brother Jamie are out of the run for a medal in doubles, the chances of Murray standing at the top of the podium have only increased. Let’s just hope the magic of the Olympics continues to work its charms on him.