Murray: now for the final
Tennis star faces clash of dates as he prepares for Australian Open final with wife Kim on verge of labour
Andy Murray will face Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open final after defeating the Canadian Milos Raonic in five sets. The British number one’s fifth appearance in the final could be complicated by the imminent birth of his first child.
HE IS on the brink of winning his third Grand Slam and breaking his duck of four Australian Open final defeats.
But there is just one hitch – apart, that is, from the small matter of defending champion Novak Djokovic, his opponent in tomorrow’s final – Andy Murray’s wife, Kim, is due to give birth to their first child around the same time.
Earlier this month Murray was asked if he would pull out of the tournament to attend the birth even if he reached the final. His reply was unambiguous and could present the tournament’s organisers and sponsors with a huge headache should it come to pass.
Murray said: “I’m going to fly home. I’d be way more disappointed winning the Australian Open and not being at the birth of the child. For me, my child is more important to me, and my wife is more important to me than a tennis match.”
Last week the former Wimbledon champion was convinced that his wife had gone into labour when he was woken by his hotel room phone, ahead of his first match at the Australian Open.
He said at the time: “This morning I ordered room service and I got a phone call to my room that woke me up and I completely panicked.” Following the match, against the German player Alexander Zverev – which he won in straight sets – Murray said: “Therewere no messages from Kim when I got off court, thankfully. I hope it stays that way as well. But I’m more excited than nervous. A few weeks ago I was nervous.”
Of course, getting on a plane after a court-side phone call from Mrs Murray saying her waters have broken could turn out to be a pointless gesture. It is a 23-hour flight from Melbourne, so it could all be over by the time he jumps into a cab at Heathrow Airport.
Should the world number two heed his paternal instincts, it is likely he will come in for some criticism from rather more old-fashioned male sports personalities.
When the England cricketer James Anderson returned home from the 2010 Ashes tour in Australia to attend the birth of his second child, former England bowler Bob Willis was far from impressed.
“I don’t agree with the Mothercare buggy-rolling thinking that modern man has. He should be on the cricket tour, that’s his job,” said Willis.
Will Greenwood, the England rugby player, also returned home from the World Cup in Australia in 2003 to be with his wife after she developed complications in her second pregnancy.
Murray reached his fifth Australian Open final by winning a five-set battle with 13th seed Milos Raonic yesterday. He has said that the arrival of his first child might help him relax more. Before the start of the tournament he said: “People have asked ‘Do you think it will be a distraction?’ It might be but it’s a good distraction. It’s actually not good to be just concentrating on tennis and your training all of the time.”
Asked after yesterday’s semi-final win whether he was ready to be a father, Murray said: “I hope so, I’m going to find out pretty soon. I’ve been reading lots of books, but hopefully you just adapt.”
Murray also spoke of his delight that he and his brother, doubles player Jamie, on court this morning, are the first brothers to reach the finals of the same Grand Slam. He said: “For it to be the first time to happen is incredible really. I never would have expected that.”