Fitness and Focus Propel Andy Murray and Dinara Safina
Andy Murray beat 2008 Australian Open champion, Novak Djokovic, for the second consecutive week en route to winning his first ATP Masters title in Cincinnati and third title of the year. Meanwhile, Dinara Safina won her second consecutive title in Montreal and third trophy of 2008. Both Murray and Safina continued their strong play from the past couple months, i.e. Murray reached the Wimbledon quarters and Safina reached the French Open finals. Murray and Safina have been touted as talented, but occasionally
temperamental, players for several years. Their improved results over the past few months can be attributed to two major factors, i.e. fitness and focus. Murray won a long five set match over the talented Frenchman, Richard Gasquet, at Wimbledon coming back from two sets to love and also managed to deal with the heat in Cincinnati very well last week. Safina survived a couple long three setters during her French Open run including coming back from match point down. Safina and Murray have not lost their fiery tempers, but now they seem to be much more poised throughout the tough moments in matches. Safina, who is 27-3 since Berlin in May where she beat Justine Henin in what turned out to be her final match, has now reached a career high ranking of 7. Meanwhile, Andy Murray is also now at his career best ranking of 6. Talent can carry you a long way in professional tennis, but the mental part of the game and the physical fitness to allow a player to believe that he/she can last through a long match are essential to reach the very top of the rankings.
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