Bananas are on the skids for Andy Murray, who has labelled the fruit of choice in tennis for its quick pick-me-up qualities as “pathetic.” That’s one of the “revelations” in the 21-year-old British player’s autobiography released during the French Open.
The No. 12, who is now into his grass-court preparation after his early exit at the French Open, says in “Hitting Back”: “Players sit there and eat them at changeovers but it can’t be to give them energy because they take ages to digest.
“To be honest, I think bananas are a pathetic fruit.”
Murray has also taken his shot at British tennis, which has the most funding but perhaps the least results among major nations. While tiny Serbia has produced three players in the top three with no federation money in the bank, Scottish-born Murray is the lone hope for his nation, whose federation is funded by mega-millions generated by Wimbledon.
Murray also criticised the hiring of high-priced foreign coaches by the Lawn Tennis Association — despite the fact that he himself was coached for 18 months by Brad Gilbert, with the American’s one-million-dollar-plus salary paid by the LTA.
The Scot also slammed his British tennis contemporaries, calling calling them lazy.
“There is something wrong with the mentality and work ethic of most of the British players. There doesn’t seem to be anyone who’s brutally honest about it either.
“I think the best way is to confront it, especially when it has been bad for so long.”
Murray is streets ahead of his compatriots, with Jamie Baker on 240 the second-highest Briton on the ATP.
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