UNDERARM v STRONGARM

Murray may have to come up with more unorthodox moves to combat raw power of Isner

BY NEIL MCLEMAN AMERICAN Reilly

Opelka has claimed winning Wimbledon this year will be an “inferior accomplishment” because of player bans and Covid.

World No.1 Daniil Medvedev heads the list of Russian and Belarusian players excluded, following the invasion of Ukraine.

And last year’s finalist Matteo Berrettini (above) yesterday joined Marin Cilic in pulling out after a positive Covid test.

No.15 seed Opelka said the grasscourt Grand Slam is “not as important as normal” as he slammed the bans. “Doesn’t matter to me on the court,” he said. “But just an inferior accomplishment. Every other tournament is allowing everyone to play.”

There are currently no requirements for players to test or to withdraw if they do test positive and Berrettini was not obliged to pull out.

ANDY MURRAY will bid to stop big-serving John Isner breaking another record at Wimbledon today.

The American world No.24 won the longest-ever match at SW19 in 2010 (right) when he took three days to beat Nicolas Mahut on Court 18 – and sent down 113 aces.

Today on Centre Court the 2018 semi-finalist can establish a landmark for the total of aces served on the ATP Tour by powering down another 40 against the Scot.

Croatian Ivo Karlovic holds the record of 13,728.

BBC analyst John Mcenroe called 6ft 10in Isner “the best server in the history of tennis.”

But 35-year-old Murray, one of the best returners in history, holds an 8-0 winning record against Isner, 37, though they have never played on grass.

He did beat 6ft 11in Karlovic in the fourth round in 2015 despite the Croatian’s 29 aces.

Murray said: “They’re obviously very tough players to play against because of the nature of how the matches go. You’re not necessarily always in control of them. You can go four or five return games where you’re not getting opportunities. There’s not always lots of rhythm in the match, so it’s difficult.

“But for whatever reason I’ve always played well against them. The match-ups have been good for me.

I have played well against John in the past. But I don’t think I’ve ever played him on grass before so there will be different challenges.

“He’s played well here before. He was very close to making the final a few years ago. I’ll need to play really well and certainly return a bit better than I did in the first round if I want to get through that.”

Murray beat James Duckworth in four sets on Centre Court on Monday night, helped by an underarm serve (right), while Isner returned to Court 18 to smash down 54 aces against French qualifier Enzo Couacaud.

“Everybody asks me about my memories on that court, and it’s nightmares,” Isner laughed. “Would I think about requesting not playing there? I’m a nobody. I can’t request what court to play on at Wimbledon. I was just praying that I wouldn’t be on that court.

“When the schedule came out I just thought ‘ **** ’. But it happens.”

Isner (right) called twice-wimbledon champion Murray a

“legend of the sport” and said he was inspired by his longevity.

“I’m older than

Andy so I’m no spring chicken, but I work hard too,” he said. “He’s so comfortable on the grass, more comfortable than I am.

“It’s probably not my best surface but it does a lot of good on my serve. Andy is a different animal. He’s much harder to ace because his anticipation is just amazing.”