Murray’s now a marked man
ANDY MURRAY will walk into Wimbledon in 11 days’ time with opponents whispering in the locker room that the world No1 is there for the taking.
Defeat by world No90 Jordan Thompson at Queen’s has added to a growing belief that those at the top are beatable and the home favourite will no longer have the ‘Fear Factor’ at SW19.
Former British No1 Annabel Croft watched Murray’s defeat by the Aussie on Tuesday and said he had looked “unusually nervous”.
The Eurosport TV pundit added: “One of the players in the lounge said to me that a lot of the guys now feel they can beat the top guys. Before they’d be quaking, thinking, ‘I hope I don’t get buried out here’, or ‘I don’t want to make a fool of myself’. But now there are more players who feel they have a shot.
“Andy’s greatest strength is that nobody can match him psychologically. I always think of it like rutting deer.
“Normally Murray’s opponent carries on for a bit, then folds. But Thompson carried on rutting and was winning a lot of those early rallies.”
Consequently Croft feels Murray could be vulnerable when the Wimbledon draw is made next Friday.
“If he gets a guy who is just banging down aces, that doesn’t give you much rhythm to try to get involved in the match,” she said.
“If he gets a baseliner who he can get in to a little bit, he can build his game. But if he’s up against somebody serving bombs, he’ll have no rhythm and no groundstroke rallies. It won’t be easy.”
Novak Djokovic will prepare for Wimbledon at Eastbourne, breaking from his usual habit of taking the week off before a Grand Slam.
“This will be my first trip to Eastbourne and I’ve heard great things about the tournament,” said the Serb.
Yesterday, Naomi Broady learnt she would also be on her way to the event, having been given a wild card.
Heather Watson, Laura Robson, Katie Boulter, Brydan Klein, Cameron Norrie and James Ward were also given passes into the main draw. Marcus Willis, the unfancied qualifier who faced Roger Federer in the second round last year, has been given a wild card but only for the qualifying stages.