When Andy Murray reflects on the past seven days, he will doubtless allow
himself a wry grin and appreciate it as arguably the most diversely eventful
week of his young life. A win over the world’s top-ranked tennis player -
interrupted by a hurricane - a first Grand Slam final against the opponent
he reveres as the finest of all time and reconciliation with his brother
after a spat threatened the team harmony of Great Britain for a second Davis
Cup tie in succession.
What will be the abiding memory for the 21-year-old who, after reaching the US
Open final, is world No 4 and the sport’s undeniable major champion in
waiting?
Could it have been the sight of Rafael Nadal attempting a last desperate
drop-shot that showed he had finally been beaten into submission? Was it
Roger Federer’s timely reminder of his sublime skills and stoic
determination? Or might it just be the sight of elder brother Jamie, absent
from the family gathering during the final, shaking his hand and hugging him
on the doorstep of his apartment?
The brothers have disagreed regularly in the past year. Jamie’s public
condemnation of his brother’s decision not to play February’s Davis Cup
opener in Argentina was the most vociferous, but there have been others.
Sources within the Lawn Tennis Association, mindful that the strongest and
most cordial British team is necessary to win next weekend’s world group
qualifying tie against Austria at Wimbledon, had become seriously concerned
at the renewed antipathy between the pair.
During their 6-1 6-3 second round Olympic Games exit against Arnaud Clement
and Michael Llodra, the pair barely spoke. Rumours had been rife around
British tennis circles that the pair were so discordant that neither
relished partnering the other in Saturday’s doubles against the Austrians
and both favoured playing with Ross Hutchins, who made his debut in Buenos
Aires. Jamie’s decision to leave New York after losing the mixed doubles
final and not join his mother, father, grandfather, uncle and aunt in
watching the biggest match of his brother’s life seemed to confirm it.
However, things have taken a turn for the better. The pair have dined
together, played pool and are expected on the practice courts this
afternoon. Nobody could be happier at the news of the resolution of family
hostilities than British captain John Lloyd.
“This is great news for me a week before facing the Austrians in a very
important tie that we must win, and all the worries I had after speaking to
quite a few LTA people seem to have disappeared,” said Lloyd, who in four
ties in charge of the British team has not had the chance to select both
Murrays for the doubles. “Like anyone else who saw the doubles at the
Olympics and heard all the rumours going around, I was concerned about the
apparent differences between the two of them.
“I was anxious at seeing them clearly not get along at the Games. Then I had
left the US Open before Andy got to the later stages but I was surprised not
to see Jamie in Andy’s box with all the family. I was very troubled because
I want to play my best available team and that means Andy and Alex
Bogdanovic in the singles. Then, if he is sufficiently fit and fresh, I’d
like to pick Andy in the doubles alongside Jamie, although clearly things
were not good between them in Beijing.”
Hopefully such anxieties are now a thing of the past. Andy insisted he was
ready for a two-hour practice session at Wimbledon yesterday. Bogdanovic,
who on Friday lost 7-6 6-4 to 106th-ranked Belgian Christophe Rochus in the
quarter-final of the Orleans Challenger in France, will link up with the
team today, along with Jamie Murray.
“Andy letting me know he’s ready was more great news,” continued Lloyd. “I was
prepared to tell him it wasn't a problem if he wanted to turn up just before
the draw for the tie on Thursday. He’s played enough tennis and I was
convinced it would only have taken him half an hour to get used to the grass
again. He’s eager to play, he’s ready to go and has given me all the right
messages.
“Watching Andy play doubles at the US Open convinced me how good a player he
is in that form of competition. In the second round, he and Ross faced
Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic who are the second best team in the world.
It went to a tiebreak in the final set and Andy was the best player on the
court.”
Lloyd is confident Murray’s New York experiences, including a fightback from a
two-set deficit to beat the leading Austrian Jurgen Melzer, will inspire the
team. Melzer is respected as one of the fittest players on the men’s circuit
but is also known to possess distinctly brittle self-belief. “I was sweating
on the outcome of that match at the US Open and at one point Andy was two
points away from losing,” said Lloyd. “In the end Andy came through and gave
us a great psychological boost because not only did he get the better of
Melzer’s game but he also broke his will.”
After January’s Australian Open, when Murray lost in the first round, Lloyd
got a telephone call from the player’s agent, Patricio Apey, to inform the
British captain his best player would not be making the trip to Buenos Aires
to face Argentina in the world group opener, a tie which was lost 4-1. Anger
has never been the Lloyd way and he accepted the news in despondent fashion.
This is another chapter in the life of Andy Murray.
“Making a Grand Slam final is a great achievement but there is so much more to
do,” Murray insists. “The perfect example was watching the Parade of
Champions at the opening ceremony of the US Open. Most of the winners over
the last 40 years came out but you did not see too many run-ners-up. People
only remember players and teams that win things.
“I’d be very disappointed with myself if I worked this hard and never won a
Slam. Tennis is the only thing I’m good at and I play tennis for myself and
what I want to achieve.”
Who’s who in Team Murray?
1 Willie Murray, father ’Andy has always been feisty but he’s a winner
and you never want to discipline that out of him,’ he says
2 Matty Little, strength and conditioning expert Nicknamed Mr
Incredible, he oversees fitness, injury prevention and stretching, and is
resident masseur
3 Andy Ireland, physiotherapist The acupuncture advocate (nicknamed
Needles) met Murray while working for the GB Davis Cup team
4 Jez Green, physical conditioner A former kick boxer, he sets the
fitness programme that has transformed the Scot. He tells Murray: ‘The most
important equation is: Train hard, train smart, recover well = your best
performance’
5 Miles Maclagan, tennis coach ST columnist Pat Cash suggested he
could be a perfect coach for Murray almost three years ago. His playing
career amounted to a best ranking of 172. Established his coaching
reputation working with doubles players
6 Keith Erskine, uncle A golf pro who has lived in Texas for the past
12 years
7 Karin Erskine, aunt Keith’s wife who forms part of the cheer team
8 Judy Murray, mother Represented Scotland in the world student games
of 1981 but struggled on the full women’s tour. Andy’s first coach, she
says: ‘When I watch him play I see something I never had; an amazing
self-belief. He plays to win, I played not to lose’
9 Kim Sears, girlfriend Daughter of Nigel Sears, Britain’s head coach
of women’s tennis. She was thrust into the spotlight when he won his first
title at San Jose in February 2006 and celebrated by climbing into the crowd
to kiss her. She is studying English at Brighton University
10 Patricio Apey, agent The Chilean-born Apey set up Ace Group to look
after Argentine footballers Juan Sebastian Veron and Hernan Crespo. He
signed Murray three years ago. ‘I believe Andy could earn about £80m in his
career,’ he says
11 Roy Erskine, maternal grandfather Played for Hibernian but became
an optician
12 Jan Frayar, family friend from Dunblane
13 Rob Stewart, website manager Runs andymurray.com with up-to-date
news and photos as well as selling kit, including the t-shirt he wore at the
US Open, now available in all sizes at £28
14 Stuart Higgins, PR adviser A former Sun editor who set up his own
PR company. Since his appointment earlier this year, relations between
Murray and the press have improved
15 Sir Richard Branson First met Murray a couple of years ago and was
invited into the box by Patricio Apey at the suggestion of Larry Scott,
chief executive of the WTA Tour
A STRONGER, FASTER AND MORE SUPPLE MURRAY
He proudly claims to have gained 9lb of muscle in the past year through work
in the weight room under the guidance of Matty Little
In the off-season Murray headed to Miami to improve his staying power and
completed regular sessions of 400m sprints in under 70 seconds with barely a
minute's rest
Murray was introduced to Bikram yoga 18 months ago. It involves breathing
exercises and the attainment of 26 different postures designed to stimulate
and restore health to the muscles and joints
