WIMBLEDON It could be game, set and hat-trick!
Konta on cracking form for the ladies. Jamie Murray favourite in mixed doubles. And Andy? Despite that wince, his knee’s just fine!*
IT MIGHT be tempting fate, but the stage was set last night for an historic British hat-trick at Wimbledon. World No1 Andy Murray, his brother Jamie and ladies’ ace Jo Konta have all stormed into the second week with a real chance of glory.
It is the first time in 40 years that Britain can boast seeded players in the fourth round of both the men’s and ladies’ singles, and fans have dubbed tomorrow’s thrilling prospect ‘Mega Monday’.
The only fly in the ointment appeared to be more injury worries for Murray, after he was seen wincing on the practice courts yesterday. But his team insist he is fine.
Supporters pitched tents in nearby Wimbledon Park straight after the end of yesterday’s play to bag one of the 500 on-the-gate tickets to see Murray and Konta play from 1pm tomorrow.
Julia Stevens, 26, from Essex, said: ‘With both Murray and Konta potential champions, Monday is the biggest day for British men’s and women’s tennis for years. It’s well worth two nights in a tent. I queued for Saturday but, along with many others, was going to run back to the campsite after play to get my spot in the queue for Monday.’
The last time Britain had a man and woman in the fourth round was in 2013, when Murray and Laura Robson made it through.
Top seed Murray faces unpredictable Frenchman Benoit Paire on Centre Court, who while far below him in the rankings, did come close to beating him at the Monte Carlo Masters in 2016.
Murray made his game-plan clear yesterday: ‘When you’re playing guys that are maybe a bit up and down, if you can keep consistent pressure on them by serving well and not giving them the opportunities, then pressure builds over time,’ he said.
As for British women’s No 1 Konta, she looked all-but invincible as she powered past Greece’s Maria Sakkari on Friday and some bookmakers are making her favourite. The sixth seed returns to the fray tomorrow against No 21 seed France’s Caroline Garcia.
Konta told reporters yesterday: ‘Billie Jean King has always said pressure is a privilege so I am definitely looking at it in that sense. But I am disassociating myself from the hype as much as I can, because every match I have played here and am going to play has been challenging. It’s going to be difficult like it’s already been shown.’
Australian-born Konta, 26 – an Eastbourne resident from the age of 14 and a British citizen since 2012 – is a favourite with the partisan Wimbledon crowds. Now some are daring to recall Virginia Wade’s memorable victory in the women’s singles exactly 40 years ago.
Whether she would be watching her favourite TV programme Poldark tonight before the match, Konta wouldn’t divulge, but she said she would ‘recover and prepare, train, then eat and sleep well’.
Top-seeded Jamie Murray, 31, and his mixed doubles partner Martina Hingis, won their match 6-3, 6-0 yesterday against unseeded British pair Anna Smith and Neal Skupski, and now face the Czech pairing Lucie Hradecka and Roman Jebavy.
And last night, British men’s doubles team Marcus Willis and Jay Clarke knocked out the defending champions to go through to the final week of the tournament.
‘It is the biggest day for British tennis in years’