No worries for Murray after draw in Paris is favourable

Andy Murray cast aside about his fitness and declared himself ready to face home qualifier Eric Prodon in the opening round of the French Open.

The world No 4 set alarm bells ringing on Thursday when he cut short his practice session at Roland Garros and then pulled out of an exhibition match against Michael Llodra at Paris Country Club.

Murray’s camp were keen to stress his inaction was merely a precaution and at his pre-tournament press conference yesterday he insisted his only problem is aches and pains caused by a heavy schedule.

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The 24-year-old said: “I was just a bit stiff and sore. I trained hard in London for three or four days after Rome. I trained most of the day on Wednesday and then came over on the Eurostar, and then I practised first thing on Thursday morning to warm up for the exhibition.

“I didn’t feel great. I think it was maybe my body just saying to take it easy for a day or so because I have been working very hard. I made a decision not to play the exhibition. I’m practising this afternoon. I should be fine.”

If Murray needed a boost then he certainly received it at yesterday’s draw. After taking five sets to come through a nightmare opening round against Richard Gasquet last year, the Scot should have a much easier time of it against world No 118 Prodon.

Another qualifier is guaranteed in round two, with Simone Bolelli playing Frank Dancevic, and it is not until the third round that Murray is likely to be tested.

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That could come in the form of rising Canadian star Milos Raonic, who has rocketed up the rankings to 28th this year after reaching the fourth round of the Australian Open and then winning his maiden ATP World Tour title in San Jose.

If the seedings work out then Murray would meet Viktor Troicki in round four but the Serb must first get past Alexandr Dolgopolov, who gave Murray such a hard time in Australia in January.

The Scot is in the same quarter as eighth seed Jurgen Melzer, who reached the semi-finals last year but is surely preferable to Robin Soderling, David Ferrer or Tomas Berdych. Murray has beaten Melzer five times in a row.

A first semi-final appearance in Paris would probably pit the British No 1 against defending champion Rafael Nadal but, although he has never beaten the world No 1 on clay, their recent meeting in Monte Carlo was a significant step forward.

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Murray pushed Nadal to a deciding set in their semi-final before he was hampered by a wrist injury and, perhaps even more impressively, he then came as close as anyone to ending Novak Djokovic’s unbeaten start to the season in Rome.

“I feel good,” said Murray. “I have been playing well on the clay, better than previous years. I feel like I’ve been training well. Physically I feel like I’m in good shape and I have been moving well, too. I’m looking forward to the start of the tournament.

“You’ve got to be very focused during the French especially, because one bad set or a couple of bad sets and you can get yourself fatigued or tired early in the tournament. You need to be switched on right from the start.”

Murray, meanwhile, hailed the achievement of 19-year-old Heather Watson in qualifying for the main draw of a grand slam for the first time.

He added: “It’s good for British tennis.

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“She’s done very well this year. I don’t know her that well but she has good balance on the court and is very solid. She’s doing well now in the seniors and it won’t be very long before she’s in the top 100.”

Watson credited a new-found calmness and a pledge never to throw a racket again for her success in qualifying.

The British No 3, who celebrated her 19th birthday on Wednesday, defeated Switzerland’s Stefanie Voegele 6-4 6-4 to book her place in the first round.

Watson’s only previous appearance in the main draw of a grand slam was a first-round defeat as a wild card at Wimbledon last year, and this victory makes her the first British woman since Kate Brasher in 1983 to win a match in the final qualifying round in Paris.

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Watson came into the match on the back of a second-round defeat at an ITF tournament in Cagnes-sur-Mer and a bad-tempered loss in qualifying in Rome, and she revealed those setbacks made her address her attitude on court.

She said: “Before Rome I played in Cagnes-sur-Mer and I lost a match where I had two match points, and I was devastated.

“Since then I’ve turned over a new leaf. I vowed never to throw my racket ever again.

“I’m going to have fun and enjoy tennis. I loosened up in Rome but I got mad, so I’m just taking baby steps.”

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Elena Baltacha and Anne Keothavong qualified directly for the tournament and the draw offered Britain’s women a great chance of posting a first win since Clare Wood beat Gigi Fernandez in round one in 1994.

Neither Baltacha, who will meet a qualifier, nor Keothavong, drawn against Russian World No 101 Vesna Dolonts, are particularly at home on clay but Watson is beginning to really enjoy the red stuff.