BECOMING A DAD HAS GIVEN MURRAY NEW MOTIVATION tot streak
Future’s looking brighter in Willis Cinderella story
same but, as you get older, you learn and make better decisions.
“My back is definitely better – I’m not playing in pain like I was for two years for the peak physical years of my career, which weren’t easy. I’m in good shape.
“As you get older you want to make sure you make the most of every event you play.
“You think more in those terms when you’re starting to drop off a bit. But right now I don’t feel that way. Me and Novak Djokovic are one week apart in age and he shows no signs of slowing down.
“But I’m aware I need to make the most of every opportunity I get. You do appreciate it more than when you were young.
“You understand the history and the traditions and that they are the events you will be remembered for.”
And he definitely still has the hunger. “I said after I won the US Open that I realised how difficult Slams are to win, so I’m not surprised it has taken so long to do it again,” he said.
“I have been close a few times but I keep giving myself chances. Coming off the back of a tough loss at the French Open to win at Queen’s shows me I still want it.
“The character is still there to win the major events. I will stop when I don’t think I can, or if I am not motivated. But I am. I’m pumped for Wimbledon.” MARCUS WILLIS earned 60 euros at one tournament last year.
That was for a week’s work at a Futures event in Spain, winning the singles and getting to the final of the doubles. He paid for his flight and hotel on his credit card.
Today he will take on Ricardas Berankis of Lithuania, below, the world No53, in the first round here – and a cool £30,000 will be his, even if he loses. But even better, the great Roger Federer could lie in wait if the world No775 can get past Berankis today. It is the fairy tale of this event.
The All England Club could have been kinder to the rank outsider in their scheduling today. Willis will play on the obscure Court 17, which has only about 250 seats.
The 25-year-old from Wokingham works as a coach during the week with the kids and ladies-who-lunch at Warwick Boat Club. He almost packed in tennis last year until his girlfriend talked him out of it.
Called up for pre-qualifying after a player dropped out, he has fought his way through to the main draw. Amiable Willis said: “It’s surreal. I keep waking up and thinking, ‘Did that happen?’ I never thought in a million years I’d qualify.
“The money I will get from this is great. I tried to fund my own tennis for the last couple of years on my credit card. I played and won the singles at a Futures event, lost in the final of the doubles and my profit was 60 euros. That was a week’s work. It is brutal, cut-throat.”
Willis met dentist girlfriend Jenny Bate at an Ellie Goulding concert in March at the O2, at a low ebb. He said: “Jenny makes me think straight. I was in a really bad place, I didn’t want to get out of bed. I was close to packing it in.
“She just said, ‘Why are you stopping? You’re obviously good. Just give it another go, you’re still young’.”
And now, from scrabbling around in the tennis wilderness, playing in backwoods events at Frinton and Felixstowe, if he can get past Berankis, itself a mighty ask, a seven-time Wimbledon winner lies in wait.
Willis said: “It would be amazing. I have thought about it, I’m not going to lie. It would be awesome.”
As for the court, he said: “Ideally I’d be playing on a bigger court but they’re all the same size. It’s not an issue. It will be packed out.”
Jenny cannot be at Wimbledon today, though, because she will be busy in the surgery. “My mum and dad and coach will be here,” he said. “You’re only allowed three tickets. Sorry to everyone! Jenny’s got to work.”
There are 15 Britons in the first round this year, the most – excluding wild cards – since 1985.