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| Andy Murray in good shape and ‘moving well’ before Wimbledon | Andy Murray in good shape and ‘moving well’ before Wimbledon |
| (2 months later) | |
| On an anaemic summer’s day in the genteel surroundings of the Hurlingham Club, Britain’s best tennis player in eight decades paused to contemplate the roar that will greet him when he steps on to Centre Court at Wimbledon on Monday as champion. | On an anaemic summer’s day in the genteel surroundings of the Hurlingham Club, Britain’s best tennis player in eight decades paused to contemplate the roar that will greet him when he steps on to Centre Court at Wimbledon on Monday as champion. |
| Andy Murray says it is not a subject that consumes him, but he is shepherded back to it time and again. | Andy Murray says it is not a subject that consumes him, but he is shepherded back to it time and again. |
| “To be honest, I don’t know,” he says of the pressure he might feel. “From my side it’s not [an issue], because I still want to try to win more if I can. So I’ll be putting pressure on myself to perform well. In terms of the media and from the public’s perspective, [expectations] may be a little less this time, but not from myself.” | “To be honest, I don’t know,” he says of the pressure he might feel. “From my side it’s not [an issue], because I still want to try to win more if I can. So I’ll be putting pressure on myself to perform well. In terms of the media and from the public’s perspective, [expectations] may be a little less this time, but not from myself.” |
| And as for the prospect of retaining the title, he is equally relaxed. | And as for the prospect of retaining the title, he is equally relaxed. |
| “I’m not looking that far ahead, to be honest, it took me a long time to win the first one. It may be a bit naive to think the second could come around so quickly, but I’ll try my best to give myself a chance. I’ve done that quite well over the last few years, so hopefully I can do that again.” | “I’m not looking that far ahead, to be honest, it took me a long time to win the first one. It may be a bit naive to think the second could come around so quickly, but I’ll try my best to give myself a chance. I’ve done that quite well over the last few years, so hopefully I can do that again.” |
| The art of managing a nation’s expectations – as the England football team have experienced in Brazil – is not easily mastered, but Murray has learned over the years how to contain both his own emotions and those of the public. He has the comfort, too, of being as near to his best physical shape as he has attained since his back surgery nine months ago. | The art of managing a nation’s expectations – as the England football team have experienced in Brazil – is not easily mastered, but Murray has learned over the years how to contain both his own emotions and those of the public. He has the comfort, too, of being as near to his best physical shape as he has attained since his back surgery nine months ago. |
| “I feel pretty good, the last couple of days I’ve been moving well. I moved OK at Queen’s [where he lost to the world No42, Radek Stepanek, in his second match] but I’ve started moving well over the last few days. | “I feel pretty good, the last couple of days I’ve been moving well. I moved OK at Queen’s [where he lost to the world No42, Radek Stepanek, in his second match] but I’ve started moving well over the last few days. |
| “I’ve practised with [Jo-Wilfried] Tsonga and [Grigor] Dimitrov, then obviously had a good match here [a stylish win in two sets over Tommy Robredo], so I’ve spent a lot of time on the courts and I’m feeling good.” | “I’ve practised with [Jo-Wilfried] Tsonga and [Grigor] Dimitrov, then obviously had a good match here [a stylish win in two sets over Tommy Robredo], so I’ve spent a lot of time on the courts and I’m feeling good.” |
| If Murray does keep the title he won in such dramatic circumstances in last year’s final against Novak Djokovic, he will do so almost in the second phase of his career: injury free. It is remarkable to contemplate that he won his two slam titles and an Olympic gold medal in the two-year stretch with Ivan Lendl when his lower back was giving him the most grief. | If Murray does keep the title he won in such dramatic circumstances in last year’s final against Novak Djokovic, he will do so almost in the second phase of his career: injury free. It is remarkable to contemplate that he won his two slam titles and an Olympic gold medal in the two-year stretch with Ivan Lendl when his lower back was giving him the most grief. |
| He gambled by going under the knife (or through the key-hole, as it is done these days) and his confidence has grown with the realisation that it was a success. | He gambled by going under the knife (or through the key-hole, as it is done these days) and his confidence has grown with the realisation that it was a success. |
| “It definitely helps. That was the reason for having surgery in the first place, because the back was giving me a lot of trouble for a long time. Now I’m just happy to not have to worry about it on a daily basis. It’s something I have to always monitor throughout my career and look after but I’m not waking up in the morning worrying about how I’m going to feel. That was the case for a while before surgery.” | “It definitely helps. That was the reason for having surgery in the first place, because the back was giving me a lot of trouble for a long time. Now I’m just happy to not have to worry about it on a daily basis. It’s something I have to always monitor throughout my career and look after but I’m not waking up in the morning worrying about how I’m going to feel. That was the case for a while before surgery.” |
| But the real weight on Murray remains mental as much as physical. | But the real weight on Murray remains mental as much as physical. |
| “I don’t know how it will feel,” he says. “I have no idea. I’m sure I’ll be nervous and will feel some pressure, but I’ll try to enjoy it; it’s a new experience for me.” | |
| Also at the Hurlingham Club was Britain’s invalided former No1 Laura Robson, who was happy to report that she may be back on court by the end of the year – although she is not enjoying either the rehab process on her left wrist after surgery in America, or the time away from the sport that has been her life. | Also at the Hurlingham Club was Britain’s invalided former No1 Laura Robson, who was happy to report that she may be back on court by the end of the year – although she is not enjoying either the rehab process on her left wrist after surgery in America, or the time away from the sport that has been her life. |
| “I think it is really weird,” she said. “I am getting more and more used to it because I am doing more stuff with other players. I did a BBC interview with [Maria] Sharapova yesterday. But do I really want to be a part of it? Do I want to be at Wimbledon every day when I know I can’t play? It is unavoidable, I guess. If I were staying at home, there would be so much coverage about it so I wouldn’t be tennis-free anyway so I thought: ‘Why not go big?’” | “I think it is really weird,” she said. “I am getting more and more used to it because I am doing more stuff with other players. I did a BBC interview with [Maria] Sharapova yesterday. But do I really want to be a part of it? Do I want to be at Wimbledon every day when I know I can’t play? It is unavoidable, I guess. If I were staying at home, there would be so much coverage about it so I wouldn’t be tennis-free anyway so I thought: ‘Why not go big?’” |
| She has not gone big in the physical sense, but looks trim and fit – apart from the cast on her left arm – having become a vegan to help with her recovery. | She has not gone big in the physical sense, but looks trim and fit – apart from the cast on her left arm – having become a vegan to help with her recovery. |
| As for those among her peers who have prospered in her absence, Robson says: “I think it’s a fantastic thing for young players to come through and everyone was waiting for that point, my age group or the year above to start doing better in slams. | As for those among her peers who have prospered in her absence, Robson says: “I think it’s a fantastic thing for young players to come through and everyone was waiting for that point, my age group or the year above to start doing better in slams. |
| “Genie [Bouchard, the Canadian who made the semi-finals of the French Open] has definitely done that, and [the Spaniard Garbiñe] Muguruza has played really well. For [French finalist Simona] Halep, she has always been a great player but in the last year or so she has got so much better, basically. I thought she played fantastically well [losing to Sharapova]. She is good on all surfaces so, as a tennis fan, I’m looking forward to seeing what she can do on the grass.” | “Genie [Bouchard, the Canadian who made the semi-finals of the French Open] has definitely done that, and [the Spaniard Garbiñe] Muguruza has played really well. For [French finalist Simona] Halep, she has always been a great player but in the last year or so she has got so much better, basically. I thought she played fantastically well [losing to Sharapova]. She is good on all surfaces so, as a tennis fan, I’m looking forward to seeing what she can do on the grass.” |
| But Robson left the clear impression she would rather see herself doing well on the grass of Wimbledon. | But Robson left the clear impression she would rather see herself doing well on the grass of Wimbledon. |