Murray: hard to top gold medal

ANDY Murray savoured a royal box bow with his London 2012 Olympic team-mates, then vowed to use it as inspiration as he goes for glory at Wimbledon this week.

The besuited world No 2 received a rapturous reception as his name was announced alongside the likes of Sir Chris Hoy’s and Katherine Grainger’s on Centre Court yesterday.

The Dunblane man then questioned whether even becoming the first British winner of the men’s singles at SW19 for 77 years would be able to surpass the sensation of winning Olympic gold there 12 months ago.

“It was cool to be able to do something like that,” the Scot said. “It was a nice feeling. Normally when you go out there and you are just walking out to the court, you don’t really get the chance to enjoy that so much. You are obviously quite nervous and trying to concentrate on the match. Going in as a spectator is a bit different.”

“There was such a different feel during the Olympics,” he added. “And for me, it was the best 10 days of my career, I don’t think it will ever really be topped.

“I would put it ahead of the US Open, because the whole experience was just great. Obviously having it here is something that is never going to happen again, and with the way the 10 days went it was great.”

Having progressed smoothly through the first week at Wimbledon, the Scot yesterday learned the identity of his fourth-round opponent, with the occasionally volatile Russian world No 20 Mikhail Youzhny beating Viktor Troicki in straight sets.

The two men – who will play on Centre Court tomorrow – have met twice previously, with Murray winning both times, most recently in the final of an ATP Tour event in Valencia in 2009.

The 26-year-old also had words of support for his childhood friend Jamie Baker, who announced yesterday that he is retiring from the sport with immediate effect.

“I obviously did a couple of training blocks with him and he worked hard,” Murray said of his fellow Scotsman. “It is just the older you get, when you are putting in that kind of effort and not getting results, it can put you in a negative frame of mind.

“It is a shame he is stopping but I am sure he will do well in whatever he decides to do.”