Big guns send unmistakeable message to rivals
DEFENDING champion Andy Murray and red-hot Roland Garros winner Rafael Nadal have made statements of intent as they both crushed their second round opponents at The All England Club.
First Murray outclassed flamboyant German Dustin Brown 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 in an entertaining match of exhibition style points, overcoming a potentially tricky opponent with a reputation for giant-killing.
Then Nadal took to the court and swept aside a very frustrated Donald Young 6-4, 6-2, 7-5.
Nadal was rarely troubled by an opponent ranked 43rd in the world who chose to slug it out from the back of the court against the supreme Spanish baseliner. Fourth seed Nadal, fresh from winning his 10th French Open title last month, was roared on by the crowd and he seemed to be able to produce winners at will with his swashbuckling forehand.
Nadal will next face rising Russian star Karen Khacha- nov in the third round. Murray faced a difficult task in Brown, a man more talented than his ranking of 97 indicates.
Despite being moved all around the court by a barrage from Brown in the blazing heat, Murray gave as good as he got — and better — playing the same shots with more accuracy and control.
Murray only rarely showed signs of the sore hip that has been troubling him and he came through an easy winner.
“If he has a problem with his hip, I don’t want to play against him when his hip is good,” Brown said.
Murray was aware of the danger Brown posed and knew breaking Brown early was a must but ultimately Brown gifted it to him with a double fault.
“Once I got the break in the first set, I felt the momentum was with me, I was starting to see the shots he was going to play a little bit quicker and that allowed me to get to some of the drop volleys and also come up with some good passing shots.”
Murray now faces enigmatic Italian Fabio Fognini in the third round.
Joining them in the third round with impressive wins were Croatian seventh seed Marin Cilic and French 12th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Both men enjoyed straight sets wins.