Men’s success gives Davis Cup skipper Smith a nice headache

Goffin, so really everyone has played their part.”

Murray has known his next opponent here since they were juniors. He has beaten the 30-year-old Spaniard in six of their seven meetings.

“He’s a tricky opponent and plays well on all surfaces,” Murray said. “No one plays like him really. He comes forward a lot and has great hands and a really good feel. He moves really well. Although he doesn’t have a lot of power from the back of the court, he uses a lot of spin on his forehand and then hits his backhand extremely flat, so he’s a tricky character to play against.”

Evans has never played Zverev but is aware of the threat the 6ft 6in German poses. “He hits a big ball and has a good serve,” Evans said. “He can take the racket out of my hand if the serve is working. I’ll have to be patient and take care of my own serve.”

The top half of the draw opened up when Ryan Harrisonarrison beat Milos Raonic 6-7, 7-5, 7-5, 6-1. Raonic was the third favouritee to win the title behind Novak Djokovic and Murray, but sufferedfered severe cramping in bothth arms to the point where he could not hold his racketket prop-properly, the latest in aa succes-succession of injuries whichwhich have scuppered the 25-year-old Canadian’s chancesnces at the biggest events.

Harrison, 24, wasas hailed as a future Americanan champion when he brokeoke into the world’s top 1000 five years ago, but the he current world No120 struggled in the spotlight and had not won a Grand SlamSla match for three years until he beat A d r i a n MM a n n a r i n o in the first roundr here on Monday.Monday FormerForm world No1 Rafael Nadal secured his plaplace in the last 32 wwhen he beat Italy’s Andreas Seppi 6-0, 7-5, 6-1. T h e mat c h ss aw the new retractable roof closed for the first time as rain started to fall in the second set. Djokovic was handhanded a free passagesage into the third rouround and more time to recover from hihis recent wrist problem when the CzeCzech Republic’s Jiri Vesely withdrew becabecause of an arm injury. Djokovic next meetsmee the veteran Russian, Mikhail Youzhny.Youzhn