Punter fans flames of a top Murray masterclass
ANDY MURRAY will face world No.5 Andrey Rublev at the Indian Wells Masters after feeling the benefits of a fan turned “second coach”.
The Scot dumped David Goffin 6-3 6-2 in round one before handing a towel to one cheering courtside fan.
Murray said: “It wasn’t just, ‘Come on.’ It was, ‘This is the best I’ve seen you serve, man’ and, ‘You’re moving great considering all your problems.’
“And I was like, ‘Yeah, thanks.’ I need a bit of that sometimes when I’m getting a bit down on myself. He was like a second coach!”
Rafa Nadal pulled out of the event in California just 24 hours before his latest return from injury, declaring “I can’t lie to myself and lie to the thousands of fans”.
CRICKET: Assistant Marcus Trescothick insists England are not “dead and buried”.
With the Test series lost already, Zak Crawley made 79 but the tourists went from 175-3 to 218 all out.
India closed on 135-1 as Trescothick said: “You never look upon it as, ‘We’re dead and buried.’ Everyone will take a look at themselves and potentially go, ‘I can be better’... and hopefully we can put that right.”
Scotland slumped to a second World Cup League 2 loss after letting Canada off the hook in Dubai.
The Scots reduced them to 34-4, only for Canada to close it out by five wickets with 27 balls to spare.
GOLF: Connor Syme is top Scot in South Africa as a four-under 68 left him four behind Jonsson Workwear Open leaders Ivan Cantero and Keenan Davidse.
DARTS: Peter Wright’s wait for a Premier League win will drag on another week after passing up two match darts in Brighton last night.
He lost 6-5 to Michael Smith on night six.