Murray admits to feeling pressure
ANDY Murray is ready to battle the nerves before opening up play on Centre Court on day one of Wimbledon.
As defending men’s champion, he has that honour and will take on Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik at 1pm today.
Murray confirmed he was fit for the tests that lie ahead in the coming fortnight, after the hip injury problem that affected his preparation.
And his goal is to carry off the title for a third time, eyeing a strong start to his mission.
He said: “I don’t feel like I’m coming in trying to defend something. I’m going out there trying to win Wimbledon again. I want to try to win the competition.
“It maybe adds a little bit extra pressure. Maybe a few more nerves especially at this slam with the way the scheduling is, that you’re the first one out there on Centre Court. You feel like you’re opening up the tournament a little bit, and that adds a few more nerves.
“But I feel okay. I’ve felt fairly calm the last few days.”
The Centre Court order of play is completed by two-time women’s champion Petra Kvitova taking on Johanna Larsson, and US Open champion Stan Wawrinka playing Russian Daniil Medvedev. Swiss Wawrinka is chasing the one grand slam he has yet to win.
Venus Williams, the five-time champion, launches her campaign in the opening Court One match as she faces Elise Mertens.
In the absence of sister Serena, who holds the women’s singles title and is expecting her first child, veteran Venus is among the favourites to challenge this year.
Her match is followed by 10-time French Open winner Rafael Nadal’s opener against John Millman, with Britain’s Johanna Konta playing Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-Wei.
Konta is fit to play after withdrawing from the semi-final at Eastbourne last week with a back injury, saying she feels ‘fine’.
Britons Cameron Norrie – who has a Welsh mother – and Heather Watson are handed Court Two slots, with Norrie first on at 11.30am against Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Watson in the fourth match as she plays Belgium’s Maryna Zanevska.
Of the other British hopes, Aljaz Bedene starts third on Court Three against big-serving Croatian Ivo Karlovic, and Naomi Broady is third on Court 14 against Romanian IrinaCamelia Begu.