Despite anti-English jibes, a failure to win a Grand Slam, and an attitude that initially left many tennis fans disappointed, Andy Murray has managed to earn himself a place in the heart of the British public. 

However, he has earned this place not through a newfound love of his personality on the part of the public or because he has triumphed at the highest level yet, but through the fact that experts, fans and US Open betting punters alike believe that he can do something that the former hero of the British public (Tiger Tim Henman) never managed to do: win a Grand Slam.

Having shown himself to be far more capable on hard court surfaces than on any other, and reaching the final of both the Australian and US Grand Slam events, experts such as John McEnroe are tipping him to make the final step up and show that he can raise his game one last time in order to win that first Grand Slam event.

Whether Murray will be able to do that this year depends largely upon how he can perform when he comes up against players who have enormous serves and big forehands, a type of player that has often been capable of troubling the Scot.

With  Murray having shown himself to be ruthless in his pursuit of glory, something that his glut of former coaches can attest to, he will now need to show that same ruthlessness on the court. Should he succeed in making that step up and win a Grand Slam title, preferably starting with a US Open odds triumph at Flushing Meadows this month, then Murray may find himself in the British public’s hearts and memories for a far longer stretch of time than good old Tiger Tim.

Rewind a year and British youngster Heather Watson was celebrating the victory that made her Ladies Junior Champion, an event that naturally she was hoping to build upon by progressing in the main event, the women's singles, this year.

However, this year has seen the British ladies let the UK down again, with the main hope for the future, Laura Robson, failing to make the main event after defeat in the qualifiers, and Watson falling at the same stage. With the lawn tennis association (LTA) having spent millions to encourage youngsters to take up tennis, the continuing failure of the young talent to make sustained progress in the game is something that will be of great disappointment to UK tennis chiefs and fans alike.

With Online Tennis Betting pundits noting that Andy Murray normally the only Brit in the senior events to last until the second week of Grand Slams, the pressure that being the only hope for UK tennis brings is something that continues to leave Murray needing to endure high expectations that inevitably turn to disappointment when he fails to reach the standards that are unrealistically set for him.

With Virginia Wade the last Brit to enjoy success in a Grand Slam back in 1977 at Wimbledon, British tennis fans have been suffering for far too long for their own liking, and will not want to wait another 33 years before they enjoy success in a singles event at a Grand Slam.

However, should Andy Murray be successful in raising his game another notch, ATP tour betting pundits won’t be surprised to see the British number one enjoying success at this year’s US Open.