IT’S HIM INDOORS
Scotland’s King of Wimbledon keeps the nation gripped to their telly once again as he storms to glory under roof
ANDY MURRAY’S Wimbledon epitaph has been written many times.
And long before James Duckworth had managed to temporarily drown out the “Let’s go, Andy, let’s go” anthem, the shoulders had begun to slump.
Dropping a first set, the moans and groans became audible before Murray managed to get his act together to book a second round Wimbledon spot with plenty to spare.
With this evergreen and seemingly eternal warrior, only a fool would start wrestling with the notion that this time it’s going to all come to an end.
What had started as something resembling a mini crisis had been averted and Scotland’s finest was showing his return to SW19 comes with a credible belief that another chapter in a glittering career could yet have some more glory in store.
There’s a reason why the watching British public put themselves through this annual emotion shredder – nobody does triumph over adversity better than this two-time champion.
A guy who appears to need to beat himself up before claiming the spoils.
This was another late night epic under the lights with the watching millions on TV revelling in the twists and turns just as much as the enthralled Centre Court crowd.
It was vintage Murray. The range of shots, the self-criticism uttered under his breath and the brilliance was all on show to maintain a record of never failing to reach the second round in his tournaments at the All England Club.
There’s always a touch of nostalgia with every Murray outing at Wimbledon but this time there was no bushy barnet, which the Scot has so often sported at this event.
It was straight down to business and a short back and sides with the steely focus to boot.
From the moment he served to win the first exchanges, the sun started to shine over Centre Court and with the earlier rain clouds banished, it was emphatic in the end. Duckworth would provide a scare though.
There were no signs of any mobility issues and any hint of the abdominal injury that had plagued the 35-year-old in his preparations for the event.
At the other side of the net it was Duckworth who was impressing with a variety of shots, which would see Murray broken in the third game to trail 2-1 in a nerveless opening by the Aussie.
Cue some audible groans and moans from the Scot as he looked to the heavens. But he’s always been his biggest critic and then his shots started to flow.
Parity was quickly restored as he broke Duckworth’s serve to draw level at 2-2 before moving 3-2 ahead. The plot was about to turn as Duckworth moved 5-4 ahead and served for the first set.
A superb succession of clinical ground strokes and the 30-year-old went a set ahead.
It was a nip and tuck start to the second set as the local hero set about reclaiming some ground against an opponent whose fearless approach to his Centre Court bow had been a case of shock and awe.
The fact the rank outsider has had nine surgical procedures on an array of body parts and had just returned to action after a hip
operation served as another factor in his display catching so many on the hop.
This was a battle of the bionic men but Murray managed to stop the bleeding with a masterclass in resilience and recovery as he broke the Aussie to claim a 5-2 lead in the second set before pulling level at one set all.
There was even an underarm serve on his way to scorching into a 2-1 set lead and Centre Court started to relax as their man assumed full control.
Murray’s complaint, which led to his unorthodox serve, had been the poor visibility under the fading London evening light as he made a plea for the lights to be switched on.
The organisers were also clearly confident there would be a speedy conclusion as they also initially resisted the urge to pull over the Centre Court roof.
But they capitulated to the request as play was halted briefly before the fourth set.
Duckworth was looking increasingly demoralised but with Murray now in the groove, he would also have been grateful for the rest.
It was the Aussie who used the time to regroup.
But as is so often the case with Murray, it’s the booming serve that wins the day and, despite Duckworth making a fist of a fifth set, it was the power of the Scot and an increase in his ace count that proved too much.
Murray broke Duckworth’s serve to move 5-4 ahead and blasted his way to victory with a 3-1 four-set win.
Underarm, overarm and whatever way Murray served up this latest success, it will no doubt be another drama-laden episode to enjoy in the second round tomorrow when American John Isner becomes the latest to try to bring the curtain down on a player whose Wimbledon obituary remains both premature and with plenty left to pen.
“Let’s go, Andy, let’s go.”