MARK Petchey believes that Andy Murray's Wimbledon victory stands comparison to his 2013 triumph because it has silenced the doubters who felt he would never win another. While the Scot's victory this year was achieved without facing Novak Djokovic or Roger Federer, with Rafa Nadal sitting at home in Mallorca nursing an injured wrist, his former coach believes that returning to the winners rostrum at a Grand Slam may be even sweeter after the 29-year-old's complications with back surgery.

"It’s certainly comparable, if not more so, to 2013 when he won here before," said Petchey. “It’s easier on one hand as you’ve won here so the pressure to actually be the first Brit to win it for 77 years and get over that was obviously huge. But having said that there has been a bit of noise about whether he would ever do it again. I think from his perspective to come back and play the type of tennis he has after the back surgery and everything else that has gone on, will maybe give him even greater satisfaction."

Suddenly, with fresh question marks over Djokovic and Nadal, and Federer closing in on his 35th birthday, the Scot feels well placed to add to his haul of three major titles. He will defend his Olympic title in Rio next month then attempt to add a second US Open title. While he still has points to make up on the Serbian in the world rankings, reaching World No 1 for the first time is also not out of the question.

"I remember around five years ago before he won his first one a lot of us were out for dinner and I said he would win at least three," Petchey said. "I don’t think it is necessarily a case of Roger sort of getting older and Rafa getting injured, I just think that Andy is that good a player. When he gets in the kind of groove he is in he obviously gives himself a great shot of winning every single title.

“The fact is he still has the goal of potentially being world number one, even though he is a long way behind Novak right now in points," the Englishman added. "But a win here with Novak losing when he did, that’s just going to give him a little bit more of an incentive come the summer, which is going to be gruelling for him, to try and close that gap on him."

Petchey knew from early on that the Scot was a bit special. “Listen, I think it is always difficult to say they are definitely, definitely going to win Wimbledon," he said. "But did I always know he was going to be a great player? Yeah, he was different. I said in to him after his second round challenger in Aptos that I saw genius in his game. The stringer who used to string for Pete Sampras was at that tournament and came up to me and said: ‘Well we won’t be seeing him here again!'"