Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Murray targets place in last four

WIMBLEDON
Date: 22 June - 5 July
Coverage: BBC One, BBC Two, BBC HD, Red Button, website streaming (UK only) and text commentary, 5 Live, 5 Live Sports Extra, BBC iPlayer
Tennis on the BBC

Andy Murray

Report - How tough is Andy Murray?

By Piers Newbery
BBC Sport at Wimbledon

Andy Murray will attempt to reach the semi-finals of Wimbledon for the first time when he takes on Juan Carlos Ferrero on Centre Court on Wednesday.

The 22-year-old Briton plays Spanish wildcard Ferrero in the second match at about 1530 BST, with Lleyton Hewitt or Andy Roddick waiting in the last four.

Murray beat Ferrero comfortably in the Queen's Club semi-finals two weeks ago.

"Ferrero is a very tough player. He plays well on any surface - he's a former world number one," said Murray.

"In every match, regardless of who you're playing against, especially in an individual sport, anything can happen on the day.

"I played very well at Queen's but the courts here are a little bit different.

"If I play poorly, there's a good chance I'll lose against him. But I'll try my best to play well. If I do that, I've got a chance of winning."

HENMAN ON MURRAY

Murray is trying to become the first British man to win the Wimbledon singles title since Fred Perry in 1936, and the first Scot ever to win a Grand Slam singles title.

And the interest in the Scot's progress is such that fans began queuing for the 500 tickets Centre Court tickets available over two days in advance.

His quarter-final follows what is likely to be a serve-dominated contest between second seed Roger Federer and Ivo Karlovic on Centre Court, where play begins at 1300 BST.

It means Murray and Ferrero should avoid the worst of the hot weather forecast for Wednesday, when it is set to be dry with temperatures topping 30C.

The Scot came through a four-hour battle against Stanislas Wawrinka to win his fourth-round match on Monday, finishing late at night in the tournament's first full floodlit match under Centre Court's new roof.

"I believe I can win Wimbledon," he said. "That's not changed since the first match, but I'm going to have to play great tennis to do it."

I will try to be focused on my return, because his serve has been very, very big

Ferrero on Murray

Ferrero is a former world number one and French Open champion but the 29-year-old has slipped down the rankings and spoke recently about possibly retiring at the end of 2009.

However, a run to the last four at Queen's Club appears to have rejuvenated the Spaniard.

He has already beaten 10th seed Fernando Gonzalez and eighth seed Gilles Simon at Wimbledon, and is the first wildcard since eventual champion Goran Ivanisevic in 2001 to reach the last eight.

"I think right now I'm with a little bit more rhythm than at Queen's," said the Spaniard.

"And of course after the match I played against Murray, I learnt something. That is, I have to do my job and be aggressive all the time, because he likes to play on one level and then he changes the rhythm very fast.

"I think it's very difficult to play against him because of this, so I will try to be focused on my return, because his serve has been very, very big.

606: DEBATE
Will Murray beat Ferrero?

"If I want to win, of course it's going to be very difficult. He's at home and he wants to win and everybody wants him to win, so it's going to be tough, as every match is."

The winner of Murray-Ferrero will face Roddick or Hewitt, who will meet in the second match on Court One.

Former champion Hewitt is unseeded, and had to come back from a thigh injury and two-set deficit against Radek Stepanek in the previous round.

"I have loads of respect for Lleyton and what he's been able to accomplish," said Roddick, who has won his last four matches against the Australian.

"Everyone knows he's certainly capable of playing very, very well on this surface."

The first match on Court One sees fourth seed Novak Djokovic take on Tommy Haas, a repeat of the recent Halle final on grass, which the German won.

Opening proceedings on Centre Court is five-time champion Federer's encounter with Karlovic.

The 30-year-old Croat has hammered down 137 aces in his four matches so far.

But Federer, who has won eight of their nine meetings so far, said: "I like those sort of challenges.

"It's maybe not the most fun match to go through, but I like to beat this guy because he makes it hard to beat him. He's become an excellent player.

"He's not to be underestimated."

ะพ 8:59 AM

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