Liam: Andy helped me turn around my career
LIAM BROADY admitted he almost hung up his racquet in 2018 as his game hit a low – but a chat with Andy Murray helped turn his career around.
Broady, 27, last night thumped Italian Marco Cecchinato 6-3 6-4 6-0 to cap a much improved year and book his place in the second round.
It was only Broady’s second win at Wimbledon – he had not won at SW19 since 2015, having lost in the first round in 2016 and 2018 and not qualified in 2017 and 2019.
But the British No.5 admitted being thumped by Murray in the Battle of the Brits tournament last year helped him get his career back on track.
Murray beat him easily 6-2 6-2 at Roehampton and Broady said: “Andy destroyed me at that tournament.
“But he sent me a couple of messages afterwards which really turned it around for me.
“I had nearly called it quits a few times. At the end of 2018 I was close to hanging up my racquets.
“Someone sent me a tweet recently saying I had played 700 career matches,
“A lot of those matches were bad tennis. But I have become more consistent and my tennis has probably been watchable for the first time in my pro career.”
Broady survived a break point in the first game but a break at 4-3 allowed him to take the first set.
The match was decided in the latter part of the second set as, after holding off Cecchinato in two of his own service games, he got the crucial break to lead 5-4.
He said: “It is six years since I last got a win here. It felt good to put this match away.”