With all due respect to Lewis Hamilton, Joe Calzaghe and even Sir Chris Hoy, Andy Murray can now lay claim to being Britain's biggest sports star. I concede that we are less than two weeks into 2009 and anything could happen in the year ahead. Wayne Rooney might score a hat-trick to inspire Manchester United to a famous victory in the Champions' League final. Andrew Flintoff could smack 500 runs and capture 50 wickets in leading England to triumph in the Ashes Series against Australia. Hamilton must be considered a racing (sorry!) certainty to win back-to-back F1 world championships.
But at this moment in time Murray stands supreme as the nation's No 1. I say this for several reasons. Impact: Motor-racing, boxing and cycling remain esoteric sports. I do not know of many youngsters who have persuaded their parents to mortgage the family home to fund a career in F1, been moved to don a pair of boxing gloves or check the internet to discover the whereabouts of the nearest velodrome, whereas tennis clubs across the land have been inundated with junior application forms.
To the youth of today, Andy Murray is 'cool'; not only is he one of the most recognised sports celebrities on the planet with a portfolio of endorsements that will make him a multi-millionaire, the Scot, 21, comes with 'attitude' and gets to wear trendy Fred Perry T-shirts and caps. Achievements: Murray may not have won a 'grand slam' title (an oversight he may well address at next week's Australian Open) but he is among the elite in his chosen sport. His victory over Roger Federer in the final of the Qatar Open on Sunday was the ninth ATP title of his brief career and his fifth win in seven meetings with the man many regard as the greatest player of all time.
Style: No one wields a tennis racket quite like Murray. As Peter Fleming, John McEnroe's long-time doubles partner, puts it: "Andy's the closest thing I see to John. There are a lot of similarities. Murray has got a wonderful talent. He has something quite special." Although he is a product of the modern game with his double-fisted backhand, thumping serve and searing pace, Murray is a throwback to a bygone age with his sublime 'touch'; he is a rarity in combining third Millennium power with 1960s touch, grace and artistry.
The X-Factor: Whatever that ingredient is, Murray has it in spades. Hence the reason the 19 Entertainment company, who handle the global marketing of David Beckham among many others, was so swift to sign him up last week when he split with his agent of three years Patricio Apey. Like McEnroe before him, Murray is compulsive viewing. The older generation may sneer that 'he's not as gentlemanly as Tim Henman' but Murray makes no apologies for showing his emotions on court. Having been a friend of the family for many years, I admit to being biased but I find him to be unfailingly polite, wryly amusing and eminently likeable. But the very fact that he is such a temperamental spirit is surely part of his magnetism. No one is likely to watch an Andy Murray match and passionately not want him to win or lose. Not for nothing are he and John McEnroe kindred spirits.
@Email:rphilip@thenational.ae
