Andy takes the glory in thrilling late show
The evening sun came out as Andy Murray first materialised and it was the richest kind of twilight. he is no longer the prime-time, tea-time product on the BBC and the theatre of his greatest triumphs was initially only twothirds full. Yet he still arrived to a greater ovation than the famous British teenager barely half his age, who had preceded him.
he and his metal hip were up against an Australian who had just had surgery to the same joint and that seemed like a kind of parity, though it wasn’t.
Murray walked like a metal man, slightly stooped, the back no longer ramrod straight. James Duckworth walked with muscular swagger and possessed a forehand like an exocet missile.
These are still the days of Murray’s life, though. here and now was why he went through the process of a surgeon literally hammering at his hip three years ago, and though an abdomen strain has turned the last few weeks into a running medical bulletin, there was no quarter spared, nothing half-delivered.
‘The ab felt fine today and when I’ve been serving,’ he said at the end of a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 win. ‘I got an ultrasound scan on Saturday and it was all clear for the first time. I’m in a better place than last year.’
his grunts of exertion were comical at times. Those of a higher pitch approached the realm of a wail. ‘Give me a break,’ Murray seemed to be saying. Centre Court loved this very human kind of effort.
his chase from back to front of court to collect a drop shot in the second game electrified the place. There were three of these rescues across the course of the night.
his break back to 2-2 in the first set brought on the theatre’s old collective urging to ‘Let’s go.’ But it was in the moment jeopardy was beginning to loom for Murray, a set down and 2- 2, that a rally of beautiful drama on break point secured him a game which quickly brought the second set. It was in the second set he began landing more first serves, which piled pressure on Duckworth.
he displayed touch, anticipation and some serious quality, hitting 35 winners to 14 unforced errors. Murray also changed up the pace to keep his opponent off-balance. The drop shot served him exceptionally well all night.
One of them had just secured a break in the third game of the third set when Murray spotted Duckworth deep behind the baseline to receive and served underarm.
‘he changed his return position, that’s why I did it,’ Murray said of that ploy. ‘More and more players have started returning from further behind the baseline. The underarm serve is a way of saying, “If you’re going to do that, I’m going to throw that in.” I don’t know why people have ever found it potentially disrespectful.’
Duckworth, the world No 74, a stronger challenger than anticipated, was sending down 133mph serves and Murray’s old angled returns, using the pace of the ball, were more evident from the second set.
But it was the ground- stroke touch — two backhand baseline half volleys — which brought the break for 4-1 in the third set.
Duckworth wanted the roof closed after falling two breaks down in that set and asked to see the match supervisor about the fading natural light.
he seemed disgruntled when he wasn’t immediately granted his wish. he actually steadied things when the roof was closed. But two double faults gave Murray the fourth-set break and he served out for a shot at the second round.
There will be some challenge there, against the big- serving American John Isner, who fired down 54 aces in a five-set win over France’s enzo Couacaud. But Murray’s reflections last night tell us he isn’t done yet.
‘I’m getting on a bit now and I don’t know how many more opportunities I have, so I’m having to make the most of those I get,’ he said.
‘ You can’t replace playing consistently against top players and I missed a lot of that. But my hitting and ball-striking and shots haven’t changed.’