Murray odds for Grand Slam glory nothing like sure thing

Sep 1, 2006, 16:43 GMT

New York - Tennis fans may have caught the fever, but cool-headed British bookies reckon teenage tyro Andy Murray is not about to quickly win his first career Grand Slam.

As Murray competes at the US Open, the Ladbrokes agency is tipping that the 17th seed won't lift his first major for another three years - if at all.

Despite the hype which surrounds the Scottish youngster, biggest local hope since Tim Henman, the stat jockeys are not convinced he's the genuine article.

Odds on Murray lifting a Grand Slam in 2008 are a 3/1, the same as the year following. Murray's last chance during his breakthrough year of 2006 rates 33/1 possibilities, with a US Open title the only hope for takers to that long-odds wager.

'Murray is definitely improving but he's still got a long way to go before he can be mentioned in the same breath as the game's top names,' said a spokesman.

The company also has some bad news views on Murray's chances. If he doesn't win a slam by 2010, he never will, say the oddsmakers.

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New York (dpa) - Miracle worker Andre Agassi is counting on rest and recovery to allow him to drag his aching 36-year-old body into a third-round match at the US Open.

The American showman gave a master class in a thrilling five-set win over cramping Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis.

But before his contest against little-known German Benjamin Becker, Agassi has some work to do after playing with a cortisone injection to sooth the back which will force him from the game when his Open campaign concludes during this fortnight.

'The back doesn't hurt when I lie down, that's actually the most comfortable. I feel like a million dollars when I'm lying down.

'Then I stand up....'

Agassi said that he is adjusting to the injection which is designed to get him as far as possible at his farewell event.

But there are health limits.

'I'll exhaust all possibilities short of taking too many risks for long term. I do want to make sure I give myself the best look here, but I don't want to compromise the rest of my life.'