Murray, Nadal aim to bury Wimbledon doubts

LONDON: Defending champion Andy Murray and fellow two-time winner Rafael Nadal take centre stage on the first day of Wimbledon on Monday, keen to deliver early hammer blows to any doubts over their title aspirations.

Top seed and world number one Murray opens proceedings on Centre Court insisting a hip problem will not prevent him from dispatching Kazakh lucky loser Alexander Bublik.

The weekend news that the 30year- old Scot is to become a father for the second time will also be an extra incentive to make it a tournament to remember.

Nadal, the champion in 2008 and 2010 and a three-time runner-up, missed last year’s championships because of a wrist injury.

Since making the final in 2011, he has lost to opponents outside the top 100 on four occasions. Australia’s John Millman, his first round rival on Monday, is the current 137.

Elsewhere on the opening day, former world number one Victoria Azarenka plays her first Slam since becoming a mother while two-time champion Petra Kvitova is sure to receive a warm Centre Court welcome as she steadily rebuilds her career after being attacked by a knifeman in her home last December.

Murray is looking to become the first British player – man or woman – to defend a Grand Slam title since Fred Perry won Wimbledon from 1934-36.

Meanwhile, Bublik, the world number 134, is making his grass court debut.

Murray, who has a 29- 0 record against players outside the top 100, insists his recent hip problems are behind him.

“I’ll be fine to play the event and play seven matches,” he said.

Nadal is bidding to record his 850th tour-level match-win and become just the seventh player in history to reach the landmark.

It’s also his 50th match at Wimbledon. — AFP