Novak Djokovic is in a “different league” to Andy Murray, according to two-time grand slam champion Pat Rafter.
Murray beat Djokovic to win Wimbledon in 2013 but since then has lost their last five slam meetings, including finals at the last two tournaments.
Djokovic is a heavy favourite to win his fifth slam title in a row next Sunday and appears more dominant than ever.
Rafter, who won the US Open in 1997 and 1998 and was twice a runner-up at Wimbledon, told Press Association Sport: “This probably isn’t nice for him to hear but he’s probably in a slightly different league.
“Novak’s just a little bit better than Andy. But he’s already won two slams and made 10 finals. That’s how good he is. Unfortunately he’s up against some of the greatest of all time.
“You’ve seen all the guys go on their little runs – when Nadal was playing well, you thought there’s no way this guy’s going to get beaten. And the same with Novak right now.
“He will have his time and then it’ll be over. But right now he’s right in the middle of his good run.”
In Murray’s favour is that he has never lost a set on grass to Djokovic and has Ivan Lendl, the coach who guided him to two slam titles and Olympic gold, back in his corner.
Rafter subscribes to the popular view that tackling Murray’s on-court behavioural issues should be a top priority for Lendl.
“I think it’ll really help Andy because he has that affiliation with him and connection,” said Rafter, who will be playing Champions Tennis at the Royal Albert Hall later this year, helping celebrate the event’s 20th anniversary.
“I’d like to think when Ivan came back, he’s given him a few home truths about how Andy is and what he needs to work on on court, and just his demeanour.
“Because he can sometimes come across pretty prickly and he needs to work on that. Off court he’s brilliant. I think he’ll be a better player if Lendl can get that right.”
Murray reached the second round with a drama-free 6-2 6-3 6-4 victory over countryman Liam Broady on Tuesday.
He will hope his best season on clay can translate onto grass, the surface he still regards as his most productive.
Former British number one Tim Henman said: “He’s in the best form I’ve ever seen him in, on the back of the clay-court performance, winning in Rome and making the final of the French, that’s a great foundation.
“Even though it’s a different surface, it really does give you a great platform, because you have to hit so many balls, they test you physically.
“So to come in on grass where Andy is more comfortable than someone like Djokovic – he’s never lost to him on grass – and with Lendl in his corner, that’s why I think he can win it this year.”
Next up for Murray is a clash with Chinese Taipei’s Lu Yen-hsun, who has decent Wimbledon pedigree having beaten Andy Roddick in 2010 to reach the quarter-finals and knocked Murray out of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The world number 76 also goes into the meeting on an 11-match winning streak after back-to-back Challenger titles in Surbiton and Ilkley and a first-round victory against Alexander Kudryavtsev.
Murray beat Lu at Wimbledon in 2013 and at Queen’s last year, and he said: “It’s a very tough match. He’s played the three grass-court Challengers in the build-up. He’s won two of them and lost in the final of one.
“He’s made the quarters at this event before, beat Roddick once. He plays well on the grass. It will be a really, really tough match, and a good test for me early in the event.”
Lu, 32, came back from six months out following elbow surgery in May and has surprised himself with his results.
“I didn’t expect to play so many matches at these three Challengers,” he said. “But I have just come back from injury and that is why I decided to start at these small tournaments.
“I hoped to play more matches to get this match feeling. In the first week I made the final and started getting more confidence. I was not expecting so much but I kept winning, kept winning and then I just feel not bad.
“I feel comfortable playing on grass and I feel very strong in the last few weeks.”
*Pat Rafter will be playing Champions Tennis at the Royal Albert Hall from November 30 to December 4, 2016. Tickets are available from £18.50 at www.championstennis.co.uk
