DOUBLES STRIFE &
Jamie: I see my partner more than my wife!
JAMIE MURRAY reckons he spends more time with his Brazilian doubles partner Bruno Soares than his Colombian wife.
But the Scot said his male South American partner – and his samba tennis – can inspire him to finally win the men’s Wimbledon doubles.
Murray, 31, is this year celebrating the 10th anniversary of claiming the 2007 mixed doubles with Jelena Jankovic.
Now after winning their third title of the year at the Aegon Championships at Queen’s Club, the No.3 seeds are among the favourites to win here.
The dynamic duo won Grand Slams in Melbourne and New York in their first season together last year and the Scot said: “Every partnership is different.
“It is a results-based industry so if results are not going well, people can be quick to jump ship. For us, we know we do a lot of good things on the court. He is a great player who does unbelievable things.
“And it helps that we get on so well off the court. I spend more time with him than my wife Alejandra (with Jamie, below).
“We are travelling together for 30 weeks of the year and I am with him every day of that time when we are at events. Alejandra is not travelling that much. He gets more of my time – and vice versa.
“When we are off the court, there is not that intensity. We are happy in each other’s company. I think that stuff helps to keep things light.”
The Davis Cup hero lost the final of the 2015 Wimbledon men’s doubles with previous partner John Peers. “The Wimbledon doubles title is the one I still really want to win in my career,” Murray said.
“That is the big one for me. It will be till I finish playing.
“Wimbledon is my home Grand Slam, the history – to be British and say you have won at Wimbledon is a huge deal. That will still be one of my biggest goals at the start of each year until hopefully one day we can win.”
Jamie beat Andy to becoming the first Murray to lift a Wimbledon title a decade ago. “At that time I was really young – only 21,” he recalled. “We came close in 2015. Even last year we lost in the quarters in the fifth set. “This year we are feeling good – we have got some good form at the right time. We will definitely be one of the favourites because of our rankings.
“People look to us I’m sure and think we are one of the teams that can win. But we have still got to go and do it.”