Cameron fumes as he slips up against Stan
months of trying to avoid it – has been the lowest part of his career so far, but watching fellow thirtysomethings like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal battling back from injury to win Grand Slams has given him hope in his fightback.
“It’s nice that a lot of the older players have been doing better,” he said.
“They are two of the best players of all time, they are healthy, they are going to be able to compete and win the biggest competitions.” Kyrgios, now ranked 21st in the world having battled back from an elbow problem to reach the semi-finals in Stuttgart last week only to lose to Federer, said: “It’s just good to see Andy back. He’s one of my better mates on tour.
“It’s been pretty cr***y without him. To see him healthy is the main thing. He’s awesome for the sport.
“I don’t know if it will be business only out there and ruthless – I don’t know if I ever have that mentality. I’m going to go out and play like I always play. I want to serve big and try and win.”
The pair were practising on adjacent courts at Queen’s Club yesterday, and Kyrgios, who has lost all five previous encounters with Murray, added: “I don’t really know what to expect from him. I know he’s going to make a lot of balls.
“He loves playing on grass. I obviously know how he plays. I watched a little of him in practice. He looked fine.” CAMERON NORRIE ran up against the brick wall that is Stan Wawrinka at Queen’s Club as his Wimbledon warm-up took a hit – and then condemned the slippery courts.
The Johannesburgborn British youngster, who hit the headlines this year with a brilliant Davis Cup debut in February, crashed out in the first round of the Fever Tree Championships 6-2, 6-3 to the former world No 3.
Norrie, 22, shocked world No23 Roberto BautistaAgut when he came back from two sets down to win in the Davis Cup tie against Spain. He then continued a fine year when he reached the semi-finals in Lyon and the second round of the French Open three weeks ago in his first direct entry into a Grand Slam. The experienced Wawrinka, making his comeback from knee surgery, had too much for Norrie last night. But the Briton hit out at the condition of the courts at Queen’s Club as he said: “I didn’t feel comfortable on my feet. “I felt like in the corners I was going to slip and I didn’t really want to tear up my hip. I played it safe. It was tough. All week I have been training well, moving great, but I was slipping. I didn’t feel true.”
The British No2, hoping for a wild card for Wimbledon this week, added: “He served really well. I donated him my serve in two or three games, and that was it.
“He managed his serve very well, and it was tough for me to get into the rallies. I didn’t serve that great, 40 per cent or something, so it was really low for me.”
British wild card Jay Clarke, 19, fought well against fifth seed Sam Querrey but lost 6-3, 6-3. No1 Kyle Edmund and his partner Neal Skupski won their Queen’s Club doubles clash against Grigor Dimitrov and Ryan Harrison 3-6, 7-6, 10-3.
Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares beat French pair Adrian Mannarino and Fabrice Martin 4-6, 7-6, 10-8.