"Ivan Lendl wasn’t at Wimbledon and it makes you wonder if that was why Britain’s big hope was more relaxed and enjoyed the support of the home crowd, embracing the expectation and pressure rather than finding it a burden."
Ralph Ellis tells us what's different about the Andy Murray we saw at Wimbledon a few weeks ago and the one we saw at Flushing Meadows yesterday, and why the former must return...
It has taken little more than three weeks but something very important has already gone missing from Andy Murray's gold medal game - his smile.
Now I know smiling and Britain's number one tennis player have never been two phrases that have gone together - but for a week at Wimbledon during the Olympics we saw a different side of the Scot. Yes, he played with intensity and a determination on Centre Court, and with the attitude of a winner. But he looked like he was enjoying what he was doing at the same time.
He was a man who was relaxed in the atmosphere of a big tournament, a man who had found that playing at the top of your game could actually be quite good fun. And it was hard not to believe that change of attitude was what finally made the difference between him coming close to winning a major tournament, and finally getting across the line.
Fast forward to the opening round of the US Open and all that seems to have gone. Watching Murray on court last night was like watching a child who'd been kept back for extra work as a punishment. Even when he'd struck the winning point the expression never changed. He trudged to the net to shake hands with Alex Bogomolov, and allowed himself just the briefest look into the skies.
"I only dropped seven games in three sets so I must have done something right," he reasoned afterwards. And that's a fair point. But there are sterner tests to come, and it's hard not to think that if he goes on finding Flushing Meadows such hard work then he cannot last the pace.
Murray is number three seed and 5.49/2 to follow up his Olympic success by ending his wait for a first Grand Slam success and becoming the US Open winner. It would be good to say that the Gold Medal could be the catalyst for more glory but on the evidence of his first round match there's no value at all in backing him - especially with Roger Federer in his half of the draw.
Next up is Croatian journeyman Ivan Dodig, a 27-year-old who is 118 in the current world rankings and ought to be a formality. But even that won't be simple if the old misery guts Murray is on court again.
Dodig has been as high as 32 in his time, and has a win over Rafael Nadal in his past form line, but suffered from injuries earlier this year and is just returning to form. The Scot is 1.031/33 to win in a market that is only just forming - but there may well be value in laying a straight sets victory in the sets betting by the time the match is ready to start tomorrow.
Ivan Lendl is back on coaching duties in Murray's box and it was noticeable that he frequently looked up and muttered to the man who is supposed to be his mentor. The former world number one wasn't at Wimbledon and it makes you wonder if that was why Britain's big hope was more relaxed and enjoyed the support of the home crowd, embracing the expectation and pressure rather than finding it a burden.
For a week we all found it easier to like Murray the man, and it was no coincidence that he then found it easier to win. Wouldn't it be good - for him and everybody else - if he could recapture that attitude before yet another Grand Slam tournament comes and goes?
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