Murray to use all the tricks of the trade to win Wimbledon

Andy Murray maintains he would have no problem showboating at Wimbledon should the mood take him again after delighting the crowds with his battling 3-6 7-6 (7/2) 6-4 victory over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to win the AEGON Championships final at Queen’s Club yesterday.

Following Sunday’s washout, tournament organisers had made tickets available to the general public – with thousands being snapped up last night and the remainder all quickly sold out to ensure a patriotic atmosphere at the west London venue.

Despite Murray, the 2009 champion and No 2 seed, falling behind when losing the opening set to the determined Frenchman, the 24-year-old eventually fought his way back into the match to level after a second-set tie-break.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

After forging ahead for the first time, Murray, the world No 4, grew in confidence and during the closing stages produced an instinctive return through his legs to help close out the final set.

It was a move which initially may have irked Tsonga, but the British No 1 insists should the mood take him again, he would do the same at the All England Club.

“I enjoyed hitting them, it was good fun. You don’t get a chance to hit them too often, sometimes they come off,” said Murray.

“I was 40-love up in the game, and probably would not have gone for it if it was 30-all.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I felt comfortable on the court when I went ahead and it was nice to let a bit of something off by hitting that shot because I had been behind for 90 per cent of the match.

“If it works, I will try it anywhere.

“It is not something you think about too much, sometimes guys hit them at the right time, and sometimes at the wrong time.

“It just depends what is going on in your head. I felt like trying to do it and I did.”

Murray had destroyed Andy Roddick en route to the final, and believes he is in good shape, both physically and mentally, heading into the eye of the media spotlight at SW19.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I am going into Wimbledon with the feeling I am going to win – you can’t go in with any other attitude,” said Murray, who had been hampered by an ankle injury at the French Open.

“I feel I am playing good tennis, I need to work on some things and improve over the next week or so.

“I will need to play my best tennis throughout the tournament (to win) and I will be switched on for the first match.

“I am really looking forward to getting ready for it, because for me it is one of the most important tournaments of the year, if not the most.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Murray insists he cannot afford to get carried away in all the hype under the expectation of a nation.

“A lot of people think coming up to Wimbledon you have to conserve energy, stay in your house, don’t look at the papers or watch TV – but that is not normal, you just have to prepare exactly how you would for everything else and that is what I am going to do,” he said.

“If there is a paper there, then I will open it up and have a little read, and smile, then do the crossword.”

Murray was taken aback by the atmosphere at Queen’s, with many spectators having queued from the early hours for a prized ticket on Centre Court.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“You never know how busy it is going to be when something like that happens, but the stadium was packed and it was amazing,” he said.

“When you look at the names on the trophy, it is not an easy tournament to win, probably for its size the strongest on the tour.

“It has always been great preparation for Wimbledon, because if you do well here it shows you are playing well on grass.”

Tsonga had been taken aback by Murray’s cheeky return, but the Frenchman admitted it would look good on the highlights package.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“At first I was p****d off, but then I said ‘good play’, and afterwards it was good to watch on the big screens, but yes it was a bit frustrating,” he said.

“I played well, some aggressive tennis and really strong, but you have to be opportunistic.”

Tsonga intends to get some more grass court action this week at the AEGON International in Eastbourne.

“I have had a good week. I have not played tennis like this for a long time, so I am excited about Wimbledon,” said Tsonga, who had beaten world No 1 Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals here.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

As to Murray’s chances of success at SW19, Tsonga added: “He can beat everybody, so why not?”

Michael Berrer came from behind to upset top-seeded Spaniard Nicolas Almagro 3-6 7-6 (7/5) 6-4 in their first-round match at the Unicef Open in s’Hertogenbosch yesterday.

After losing the opening set the 30-year-old German managed to get the better of his opponent in a tie-break to take the second set, going on to win the decider to set up a second-round clash with either Michael Russell or Santiago Giraldo.

Progression to the second round was more simple for second seed and wildcard entry Marcos Baghdatis, who saw off qualifier Arnaud Clement of France 7-6 (7/4) 6-3 with relative ease.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Two of Clement’s compatriots also met in the first round, with sixth seed Nicolas Mahut coming out victorious 7-6 (7/2) 6-3 against Adrian Mannarino.

Russia’s Dmitry Tursunov recorded a 6-2 7-6 (7/3) victory over American Robert Kendrick to book his place in the next round and there was a similar victory for Filippo Volandri of Italy, who beat Brazil’s Ricardo Mello 6-4 7-6 (7/5).

In the women’s draw, all of the top four seeds progressed to the second round, although top seed Kim Clijsters was made to work for a 7-5 7-5 victory over Romanian Monica Niculescu.

Second seed Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia made light work of Dutch qualifier Arantxa Rus (6-2 6-4) and Alberta Brianti proved no test for Belgian third seed Yanina Wickmayer as the Italian lost 6-4 6-0.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But Brianti’s compatriot and fourth seed Flavia Pennetta did advance through the first round after beating Ukrainian Alona Bondarenko 6-4 6-4.

Sixth seed Maria Kirilenko was the highest-profile elimination as she lost 7-6 (7/5) 6-2 to the experienced Kimiko Date-Krumm of Japan.

Spaniard Arantxa Parra Santonja saw off British hopeful and wildcard entry Laura Robson 7-5 6-3. The Australian-born 17-year-old committed 13 double-faults as she slipped to defeat.