Andy Murray's Australian Open conqueror, Rafael Nadal, has tipped the 19-year-old to win multiple grand slam titles after battling past the tenacious Scot at Melbourne Park.
"For sure he can win grand slams," said the double Roland Garros champion. "I don't know the future but for sure he has big chances. Right now he's one of the top players in the world. He is going to have the chances, sure, to win Wimbledon, Australia, Roland Garros, too, and US Open, because he plays well on all surfaces. And the important thing is he serves good, too. That's important for being in the top level."
Nadal was full of praise for Murray, who led their match by two sets to one and held 10 successive break-points in the fourth and fifth sets which the Spaniard saved only by dint of some miraculous shotmaking.
"Andy played at an unbelievable level," he said. "I knew it was going to be a very difficult match against Andy. I am happy for the victory because before the match I know I was going to play a very difficult match against one of the best in the world.
"Andy is a very good player. Tonight he served well in the important moments. He served big in the first set, especially serving big out wide. That's unbelievable, no? He also combined the balls, hitting sometimes large, sometimes short all the time. He changed the game. That's very difficult for me to feel comfortable playing against him."
Nadal was stumped when asked what had made the difference in a match which was, in reality, even closer than the 6-7, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 scoreline suggests. "I don't know.
Really, I don't know," said Nadal, with a shrug. "I think I have played more times in these matches. I played five sets two years ago here against Lleyton. I have played twice in the Roland Garros final and in one final of Davis Cup. I play quarter-finals of the US Open last year, too, and the final of Wimbledon. That helped a little bit because then you know you can do it.
"For Andy, this is his best result in the grand slam. So it is important to have an experience so that when you are on court you think: Yeah, I was doing sometimes that; I can do it another time'. But he's young, too. This match is important for him, too. The next time he is in the fourth round he is going to think, I can win', for sure.
"The guy hasn't beaten Federer six times for nothing," said Murray of Nadal. "He's an awesome player. When I had those break points, I feel most of them, 90% of them, he won through his good play. He came out with some huge forehands that landed bang on the line. I had a few big shots that just missed. I mean, he competes so hard.
"I'm happy with the way that I fought. I think it was always going to be a tough ask. I had never played on the Rod Laver Arena before, I had never played Nadal before. He's going to be one of the best players ever, that's for sure.
"I had chances to win. I'm going to learn a lot from this. He has a little bit more experience than me. You know, I was happy with the way that I fought. A few points here or there, it could have been a different outcome."
Murray said he would leave Melbourne not disappointed but a wiser, more confident player, one armed with another important experience to draw from.
"I definitely, definitely realised that in grand slams, over five sets, I can play close to one of the best players in the world," he said. "Hopefully, I'm only going to get better."
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