Twice as nice for daddy Andy

DOUBLE DOSE OF GOOD NEWS

Defending champion Andy Murray celebrated the news that he’s about to become a father again by reaching the Wimbledon second round yesterday as fellow two-time winner Rafael Nadal aimed to clinch the 850th win of his career.

Top seed and world No 1 Murray downed Kazakh lucky loser Alexander Bublik 6-1, 6-4, 6-2, shrugging off two brief rain delays and showing little sign of the hip problem which had plagued him in the build-up.

“I have felt okay the last few days and the adrenaline you feel by playing a match numbs any pain you may have,” said the British star after seeing off world No 134 Bublik who was making his grass court debut.

“Bublik is a bit of a character. He’s a bit different from other players, tries different shots and the crowd enjoyed the way he plays.”

Murray, whose baby daughter Sophia was born last year, next faces Dustin Brown, the man who knocked out Nadal two years ago.

German world No 97 Brown came back from a set and a break down to beat Portugal’s Joao Sousa 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, 6-4.

Nick Kyrgios, who shocked Nadal at Wimbledon in 2014, won’t get another opportunity.

The combustible 20th seeded Australian was 6-3, 6-4 down to France’s Pierre-Hugues Herbert when he called it quits on Court Three after failing to shake off the hip injury which has plagued him in recent weeks.

“I kind of knew I was in trouble. I have been feeling my hip ever since I fell over at Queen’s Club,” Kyrgios said. “Never got it right. I was doing everything I could to help it, but just not enough time. Yeah, I mean, I just wasn’t 100%”.

Kei Nishikori, the Japanese ninth seed, beat Italy’s Marco Cecchinato 6-2, 6-2, 6-0 in just 72 minutes. – AFP