Andy shows a nice touch
WHO said marriage would not change Andy Murray? Now the dour, angry, win- at- all- costs Scot has admitted he is revelling in the role of Mr Nice Guy.
The British No 1 treated the Philippe Chatrier court crowd to some exhibition tennis as he began his French Open campaign by seeing off Argentina’s world No 139 Facundo Arguello 6- 3, 6- 3, 6- 1 in just 105 minutes.
It was his 11th successive victory on clay this year since tying the knot with long- term girlfriend Kim Sears, who was, as usual, watching him from the box.
Earlier in the day, Australian youngsters Thanasi Kokkinakis and Nick Kyrgios had been paying tribute to Murray, who regularly knocks up with them at the big tournaments. Phrases such as “big guy” and “good to talk to” were used.
Murray said: “I remember a lot of the guys that were nice to me when I was young on the tour, and it’s a good thing to do.
“A lot of them are really nice guys with fun personalities. And it’s good to try to help them if you can or to practise with them, and I enjoy it. I have a good time. They’re all very enthusiastic.
“I was very grateful to all of the players that were nice to me when I fi rst came on the tour, because it can be tough. It’s not easy as a 17 or 18- year- old, coming into a locker room with older guys or people you’ve watched on the TV and look up to.
“Some guys weren’t nice. And I remember that, too. I would rather try to be one of the guys that the youngsters look up to and say ‘ he was nice to me when I was coming up’.”
Murray was not so kind to Arguello, however, despite admitting to nerves that cost him an early break of serve. His progression was much easier than that of 20- year- old fellow Briton Kyle Edmund, who, despite suffering cramp, secured his fi rst ever fi ve- set victory, against 35- yearold French qualifi er Stephane Robert, 2- 6, 6- 4, 6- 3, 5- 7, 6- 2.
The news was less good for Slovenia- born Aljaz Bedene, playing his fi rst Grand Slam match as a British citizen since being given a new passport in March.
His 6- 3, 6- 4, 6- 7, 6- 4 loss to Dominic Thiem was simply a case of him coming up against a better player who outmuscled him on the big points.
Johanna Konta also bowed out, having spurned eight fi rstset points in a marathon tiebreak against Denisa Allertova, the Czech world No 88, before succumbing 7- 6, 4- 6, 6- 2.
However British No1 Heather Watson, inset, saw off Mathilde Johansson comfortably in a 6- 4, 7- 5 win to book a clash with Sloane Stephens, the surprise conqueror of Venus Williams.
The out- of- sorts former world No 1 sloped out of Roland Garros without fulfi lling her media commitments, instead leaving behind a list of anodyne quotes that did little to explain her performance.
“Sometimes things don’t work out the way you would have liked,” she said.
The presence of three British players in the second round of the French Open has happened just once previously in more than 25 years. But Murray is not getting carried away.
“Winning a couple of rounds at a French Open for the UK is good, but I don’t think France or Spain or the Argentinians look at it and would be very impressed by that,” he said.
“Tennis in the UK is a big sport, there’s a lot of money invested in it, so you want to try to get as much depth as possible.”