Tennis

THE BOY WHO HAD TO WIN

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Updated Jul 3, 2009 3:30 AM ET
     
 
ANDY MURRAY and Leon Smith once spent 50 days in the same hotel room only to grow so sick of the sight of each other they split. But the man who was the Scot's first coach insists his former pupil will never tire of dreaming of Wimbledon glory. In fact, swears Smith, Murray has dedicated his whole life to winning at SW19. Smith, right, worked with Murray for six years and took him from childhood protege to professional performer. And he believes it's the strength of Murray's mind that can take him past Andy Roddick tonight and on to a historic final with Roger Federer on Sunday. Smith said: "Andy's sacrificed his teenage years, in fact his whole life, for this moment. He has this strong inner- belief and Andy's become the role model every kid who is interested in Tennis has to follow. I always knew Andy had the talent to succeed but it's been the change in his physical shape that's made the real difference to him. "It's amazing to see the speed of his development. He's already won more titles than Tim Henman or Greg Rusedski ever did and now he's fulfilling the potential we always knew he had from the age of five." The working relationship between Smith, a Glaswegian now based in Edinburgh, and Murray came to an end when the hardship of being constantly on the road together finally drove a minor wedge between them. But their friendship remains ongoing and now it's Smith who is receiving advice from Murray while working at the National Training Centre at Roehampton. He said: "We were travelling 35 weeks of the year in his teens. There was one time when we had to stay in the same hotel, and share the same room, for 50 nights in succession. "When you're with a teenager morning, noon and night it's not difficult to have an argument but we're still good friends and I don't feel shut out of his life." Smith believes the army of family and friends that surround Murray could be what sustains him all the way to the Final. Weapons He said; "Everybody's here for him. His mum, dad, grandparents and girlfriend are all here, and there are four staff members who look after his Tennis requirements. They shield him from the hype, even though I think it's reached the stage where it's impossible to completely close his mind off to what's going on. "I think he will beat Roddick and actually win Wimbledon against the greatest Tennis player of all time, Roger Federer. "Roddick could be feeling the effects of a fivesetter with Lleyton Hewitt. The Aussie makes you work so hard it's impossible not to be tired. "Andy, meanwhile, looked fantastic against Juan Carlos Ferrero. His serve is a weapon, his returns were terrific and he looked brimming with confidence. "What we're trying to instil in the kids we teach is Andy didn't want to lose as a child and his determination to win persists to this day. "He had that will to win from birth and I helped cultivate and develop it."

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