Andy Murray says Novak Djokovic is the best decision-maker he has ever faced, but feels Daniil Medvedev "is right up there" with the Serb
Andy Murray believes Novak Djokovic is the best decision-maker he has ever faced in the sport. Murray also reckons Daniil Medvedev is cut from the same cloth as Djokovic, and is at par with the Serb in this regard.
Djokovic is considered amongst the most clutch players on tour. One of the reasons the Serb manages to win from the toughest of situations is his ability to make the right decision at the right moment.
Andy Murray, too, was renowned for his decision-making during his peak years, although his physical problems have impacted that aspect of his game.
After his defeat to Alexander Zverev in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open, Murray was asked to name the player with the best decision-making ability. The three-time Grand Slam champion chose Djokovic, pointing out how the Serb is ahead of all his peers when it comes to performing in crunch situations.
Murray did, however, add that Daniil Medvedev, too, is a "very smart player."
"I'd probably say Novak in important situations for the most part," Andy Murray said. "I would say he probably would have made the right decision more often than not, more than most players. I would say right now Medvedev is right up there. A very smart player and stuff."
Murray believes decision-making depends a lot on the confidence a player has at that moment in time. He pointed out that a player low on confidence could be affected by indecisiveness.
"I think a lot of that comes with confidence and also how you're feeling about your game and your shots," Murray added. "I think if you're not quite feeling your shots that well, are not sure how the ball's going to come out of your racquet sometimes, that's when there's a little bit of indecision, that split-second decision, you sort of maybe change your mind or whatever, and that's when the mistakes can come."
A look at Andy Murray's rivalry with Novak Djokovic
The rivalry between Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray is the fifth most celebrated in men's tennis in the Open Era. The two have faced each other 36 times, with Djokovic emerging victorious on a whopping 25 occasions.
Djokovic and Murray faced each other for the first time at the 2006 Madrid Masters, with the Serb winning in three sets. In fact, the 20-time Major champion won their first four meetings on tour. Murray beat the World No. 1 for the first time in Toronto in 2008.
They faced each other 10 times at Majors, with Djokovic leading the head-to-head count by a margin of 8-2. Djokovic and Murray locked horns a whopping four times in the finals of the Australian Open, with Djokovic winning on each of those occasions.
Andy Murray, meanwhile, accounted for the Serb in the 2012 US Open final and the Wimbledon final the following year.