Monday, 4 July 2016

Wimbledon 2016: Andy Murray sees off John Millman to reach last 16 – as it happened | Les Roopanarine






So there you have it. Novak Djokovic has thwarted Andy Murray in the first two grand slam finals of 2016 but now he’s out of Wimbledon, gunned down by an inspired Sam Querrey. Murray, meanwhile, in stark contrast with his travails at the French Open, has been a model of efficiency over the first three rounds. From here, he’ll be looking to keep his head down and continue in similar vein. As for John Millman, he acquitted himself in quite splendid fashion on his Centre Court debut. Here’s hoping he can continue on an upward trajectory now that his injury woes and mortgage-broking career are behind him. Thanks for reading and don’t forget to check out our match report below. See you next time.



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“Right now everyone expects Novak to win every match he plays – the level of consistency he’s shown is amazing – but,” says Murray, “at the same time, it’s impossible to win every single match you play in every tournament.” The Scot will be grateful for that. Small mercies and all.



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“Novak’s run has been amazing – he almost found a way to get back,” continues Murray. “What he’s done the last 12 months I don’t think we’ll see for a long, long time.”












Asked whether Novak Djokovic’s defeat to Sam Querrey will make it easier for him to win the tournament, Murray refuses to bite. “I need to reach the final for that result to have any bearing on my performance at all,” he says. Quite right too.












Did Murray enjoy playing in front of the sporting glitterati in the Royal Box? “It’s nice. I love all sports, so when athletes from other sports come in to watch you, it gives you a bit of a boost,” he says.












“I thought it was a good match, a lot of long rallies. John moves well and doesn’t make too many unforced errors,” says Murray. “I had to be patient.”












As generous as ever, Murray pauses for the customary round of selfies and autographs as he makes his way off court. We’ll hear from him in a moment.



John Millman congratulates Andy Murray.


John Millman congratulates Andy Murray. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

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Murray wins the third set and the match, 6-3, 7-5, 6-2!



Third set: Murray* 6-3, 7-5, 6-2 Millman (*denotes server)


For chip and charge, read blast and charge. Or crush and rush, as Jim Courier prefers to put it. Whatever, nailing a second serve and haring in behind it fails to distract Murray on the opening point, and from there the Scot is imperious. He seals the match with a lovely ace, slid out wide to the deuce court, and that was a clinically efficient performance against an opponent full of heart.



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Third set: Murray 6-3, 7-5, 5-2 Millman* (*denotes server)


Hats off, Mr Millman. Clearly deciding that anything Murray can do should not be beyond him, the Queenslander finds a few miles an hour extra on serve to keep Murray on the back foot. It reaps dividends with a quick hold that forces Murray to serve for the match.



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Third set: Murray* 6-3, 7-5, 5-1 Millman (*denotes server)


Murray has hit almost twice as many winners as Millman. It’s easy to get down on yourself when you’re being outhit like that, but the Aussie’s head hasn’t dropped once. He gets to 0-30 here with some enterprising play, but no further. Murray snuffs out the danger with a ferocious exhibition of serving – a 130mph delivery is his quickest yet – and the finish line is surely nearing now.



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Third set: Murray 6-3, 7-5, 4-1 Millman* (*denotes server)


Yet again, Millman shows his heart. If this match went on until next week, he wouldn’t stop trying. What an example he is to certain other, possibly more feted players in the draw. He holds to love with some pugnacious play and Murray will have to wait a while yet for the victory.












Third set: Murray* 6-3, 7-5, 4-0 Millman (*denotes server)


This is turning into a Murray masterclass. Forget the result; that’s barely in doubt now. We’ve reached the point where we can start appreciating the aesthetics of the Scot’s game. Notable here is his wonderful balance – legs coiled, left arm thrust out to keep him level – as he completes his service motion. It’s about the only thing about this contest that is balanced right now.



Andy Murray’s silken service motion


Andy Murray’s silken service motion. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA

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Third set: Murray 6-3, 7-5, 3-0 Millman* (*denotes server)


The pace of the Millman serve is dwindling, and so are his prospects. Murray completes a love break with two breathtaking shots, pummelling a cross-court backhand into the corner off an 85mph serve before hooking a glorious forehand winner to the opposite side. I make that nine points in a row for the Scot. Awesome stuff.



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Third set: Murray* 6-3, 7-5, 2-0 Millman (*denotes server)


With the match approaching the two-hour mark, Murray ups the ante. He completes a love hold in a trice, and Millman has it all to do now.












Third set: Murray 6-3, 7-5, 1-0 Millman* (*denotes server)


Two sets down on Centre Court against one of the world’s two best players, all John Millman can do is hold serve and stay in the hunt. The man is an absolutely first-rate competitor, and he looks all set to do just that until a nasty-looking slip at 40-30 stops him in his tracks. Attempting to run down a short ball, his foot gives way beneath him and he crashes to the turf. Does it jar his concentration as well as his bones? Perhaps, because a couple of loose forehands hand Murray an early break. Tough on the Aussie.



John Millman gets up gingerly after falling in his match against Andy Murray


John Millman gets up gingerly after falling in his match against Andy Murray. Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters

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Murray wins the second set 7-5!



Second set: Murray* 6-3, 7-5 Millman (*denotes server)


Serving for the set, Murray makes an awful start, sending a limp backhand into the net as he tries to finesse the ball away. Ouch; that’s every tennis player’s worse nightmare. Things get even worse for the Scot when a brutal Millman return catches him flat-footed to bring up 15-30. But Murray is not the highest seed remaining in this tournament for nothing. He recovers with some sturdy baseline play to draw one final backhand error from Millman and claim the set.












Second set: Murray 6-3, 6-5 Millman* (*denotes server)


Murray breaks, and what a break it was. This is turning into a physically punishing battle, a real war of attrition, with both players greedily sucking in air between points. But Millman, who clenched his fist in triumph after breaking in the previous game, has the bit well and truly between his teeth now. He produces a tremendous show of defiance at 30-40 to outlast Murray in a lung-busting rally, and saves another break point when Murray goes long. He’s battling with everything he’s got, is the enterprising Aussie. And when he slams a 94mph forehand for a winner with the 90-minute mark beckoning, the game seems his for the taking. Murray, showing all his remarkable powers of recovery, draws Millman in with some canny play, inviting the Queenslander to stab a forehand wide, but Millman hits back with a ferocious backhand winner. Spellbinding stuff from both men. And it continues when the Australian slides away a lovely backhand volley winner before Murray once again draws an error from his opponent after tempting him into the forecourt. The rallies are long, full of power and lissom movement from both players, but it’s Murray who finally comes out on top, twice outmaneuvering Millman from the back to get his nose in front again. Wonderful tennis.



Andy Murray fires himself up in the second set.


Andy Murray fires himself up in the second set. Photograph: Hannah Mckay/EPA

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Second set: Murray* 6-3, 5-5 Millman (*denotes server)


When the result of the Djokovic match flashed up at the change of ends, Centre Court erupted. Murray remained impassive, but he could hardly have been oblivious to the enormity of events across the way. Perhaps that accounts for an uncharacteristically sloppy service game. The Scot quickly falls 0-40 behind. The first break point is saved when Millman nets, the second when the Aussie gets under a sliced approach to go long after a punishing rally. But Murray drags a backhand well wide on the third break point, despite the linesman’s inexplicable failure to call an error that could’ve been spotted from Putney Hill. Millman challenges successfully and we’re all square in the second set.



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Second set: Murray 6-3, 5-4 Millman* (*denotes server)


Murray has blown it. His chances of watching Djokovic, that is. Unbelievably, the top seed has just been beaten by Sam Querrey. What a story that is. It certainly makes the challenge facing Murray over this fortnight a little less daunting, although, as I mentioned earlier, the Scot can’t afford to get ahead of himself. That point is underscored here, because John Millman digs his way out of a seesaw game with some gritty play. The Aussie may be under the cosh, but he’s giving his serve a little more heat now, with a 119mph delivery perhaps his fastest yet. Having suffered a serious shoulder injury in 2013 – a torn labrum, since you ask – it’s clearly not easy for him to find power on the shot and that probably explains why he prefers just to roll the ball in. Still, it does him no harm here and Murray will now have to serve out the set.












Second set: Murray* 6-3, 5-3 Millman (*denotes server)


Murray in a hurry. He’s really upped the ante over the past 10 minutes, responding to Millman’s improved weight of shot with some brilliant play. It continues here in audacious fashion when he sends down a second serve at 30-15, and it almost looks like he’s keen to get back to the locker room and watch Novak Djokovic, who is now locked in a fourth-set tiebreak with Sam Querrey over on No1 Court.



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Second set: Murray 6-3, 4-3 Millman* (*denotes server)


At 30-30, a stage he has reached with some brilliant net play, Murray gives Millman a dose of his own medicine, moving in to thump a short, kicking serve for a winner. When Millman then sends down an 84mph serve on break point, he’s asking for trouble. Sure enough, the ball is back at his feet almost before he has completed his service motion, and Murray has the break.












Second set: Murray* 6-3, 3-3 Millman (*denotes server)


Nice play from Murray as he goes firmly on the attack. The Scot claims the first point with a crisp backhand volley, caressed down the line after a vicious forehand approach, before some more aggressive approach play forces Millman to spray shots wide down either side. A 126mph that the Aussie barely gets a racket on completes the hold in under a minute. Great stuff from the No2 seed.



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Second set: Murray 6-3, 2-3 Millman* (*denotes server)


As one might expect from a player who has experienced the vicissitudes of a career-threatening injury, John Millman seems to go about his work with a philosophical outlook. It serves him well here, the Aussie greeting a real dog’s dinner of an overhead with a wry smile before recovering to see out the game to 15. Impressive play from Millman, who is growing in stature as this match progresses.



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Second set: Murray* 6-3, 2-2 Millman (*denotes server)


Murray lives dangerously – his error count has been creeping up since the restart – but just about hangs on. He takes the opening point with a 127mph serve that equals his best of the day. But Millman then climbs all over a short second serve to club a forehand winner. He seems to be enjoying life under the roof. An unforced error off the forehand leaves Murray 15-30 down, and though the Scot recovers with some more good serving to reach game point, Millman treats an 81mph second serve with contempt at 40-30, blasting another forehand for a winner to reach deuce. A couple of deuces follow, with Millman finding far greater venom off the ground, but Murray steps up with a 98mph second serve to get over the line.












Second set: Murray 6-3, 1-2 Millman* (*denotes server)


If Millman needs an additional source of inspiration, it might come from the Royal Box, where Bobby Charlton and David Beckham are looking on. The Queenslander is a Liverpool fan. Whether he has noticed them or not, he’s just played a great service game, holding to love to keep pace with the No2 seed.












Second set: Murray* 6-3, 1-1 Millman (*denotes server)


Wow. Murray holds to 30 with a truly brutal off forehand. Some smart play from Millman got him to 15-30 in that game, but Murray was alive to the danger and there was no lapse of concentration from the Scot.












Second set: Murray 6-3, 0-1 Millman* (*denotes server)


Millman wins the point he needs to hold and is off to a good start in the second set. He lost his opening service game of the match, remember, so we’ll see if that makes a difference this time around.












Here we go then. The Centre Court crowd has been doing the Mexican wave and there’s a cracking atmosphere building.












Good news! The players are back on court and well into the warm-up. The conditions will be different with the roof closed, which could favour Murray since this is the first time Millman has played on Centre Court. That said, perhaps playing on an indoor grass court will add some zip to Millman’s shots. We’ll see.



John Millman will be looking to build on some fine play so far when the action resumes.


John Millman will be looking to build on some fine play so far when the action resumes. Photograph: BPI/REX/Shutterstock

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One thing we can say with certainty as we await the resumption of play – and it’s starting to feel like it’s been an eternity since we stopped – is that John Millman won’t be giving up the ghost anytime soon. “The one thing I will never do is lie down,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald after his opening round win against Spain’s Albert Montañés. “I have people out here watching me, there was some great support in the crowd, there was Australians there and there were people yelling out Queensland too … I was never going to give up … It was great that I found a way when adversity was there.” Well, adversity has reared it’s head again for the Aussie, so watch this space.












The roof is now closing on Centre Court. That’s taken longer than we might have expected. Presumably the forecast has changed. Either way, we should resume before too long.



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On the first serve, Millman averaged 109mph in the opening set to Murray’s 115mph. His fastest delivery was timed at 117mph – 10mph slower than Murray’s quickest serve.












The first set stats tell a story, although it’s probably not one that John Millman will select for bedtime reading. The Queenslander found the court with 6% more of his first serves than Murray in that opening set, but was broken twice. And while he made fewer unforced errors than Murray – seven to the Scot’s 10 – the second seed struck 12 winners to Millman’s two. Those numbers tell you that Murray is the man packing the heavy artillery.



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Interestingly, having won the opening set Murray glanced at the scoreboard just as the score in Novak Djokovic’s tussle with Sam Querrey flashed up. It’s desperate times for the top seed, who is 6-5 down but on serve in the fourth set, having been broken when serving to level the match at 5-4. Should Djokovic lose, Murray will have to be careful not to take his eye off the ball – both literally and metaphorically. Especially with Nick Kyrgios lurking as a potential fourth-round opponent.












Second set: Murray 6-3, 0-40 Millman* (*denotes server)


Sorry folks, it’s rain. Rain, rain and more rain. The court coverers are out in a jiffy to protect the hallowed turf, but the players will make their way off for a short break while the roof is closed.



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Andy Murray wins the first set 6-3!



First set: Murray* 6-3 Millman (*denotes server)


Pure class. Murray seals the set with minimal fuss, sending down a 126mph ace – his fourth of the match – to bring up two set points at 40-15. He only needs the one, sending Millman scampering before moving forward to angle off a backhand volley and complete the job. Clinical efficiency from the Scot.












First set: Murray 5-3 Millman* (*denotes server)


With the two players dressed similarly – plain white outfit with matching cap – and both packing double-handed backhands, it might be hard to tell them apart at first glance. Between points, that is. Once the ball is in play, there’s no doubt about which player comes with the more glittering CV. But for all Murray’s authority from the back, Millman remains a gritty competitor. He lives dangerously here, but comes through a couple of deuces to hold and force Murray to serve for the set.



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First set: Murray* 5-2 Millman (*denotes server)


At 40-15, Murray unleashes a beauty of a forehand for a clean winner into his right-handed opponent’s forehand corner. He’s comfortably in control now, and Millman must be wondering how things have turned around so quickly, because it’s barely four or five minutes since he broke to get back on terms. Such is life against the world’s best.












First set: Murray 4-2 Millman*(*denotes server)


With 20 minutes gone, Murray moves through the gears to secure a love break. Not much Millman could do there. His serve is coming back at him almost every time and, in this game at least, Murray backed up his fine returning with some flawless play from the back. Impressive stuff from the former champion.



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First set: Murray* 3-2 Millman (*denotes server)


If Millman is to make inroads against Murray, he’ll need to be both canny and consistent. He lacks firepower, so hitting the No2 seed off the court isn’t an option. But if he hangs in the rallies and comes in off the right ball, who knows what might happen? He does those things in fine style here, inviting Murray to go long with a lob and outlasting Murray on break point to reclaim the break. Excellent play from the Aussie.



John Millman recovered an early break against Andy Murray


John Millman recovered an early break against Andy Murray. Photograph: Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images

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First set: Murray 3-1 Millman* (*denotes server)


Millman makes the scoreboard at the fourth time of asking. He swings an ace out wide on the opening point, but soon loses ground again with an unforced error off the ground. At 15-30 he manages to get Murray off balance with a wickedly angled topspin forehand, working the rally for a couple more shots before the Scot drives a backhand long. Murray nets twice more, and that’ll be a relief for Millman, whose thoughts must have been turning to a dreaded love set for a while there.












First set: Murray* 3-0 Millman (*denotes server)


Murray has rapidly found a good rhythm on serve, a point highlighted when he sends down his third ace in two service games. Neither does fortune appear to be smiling on Millman, who finds the net tape with an overhead after Murray negates a foray into the forecourt from the Aussie with another lob. Tough start for Millman.



Andy Murray keeps his eyes on the ball as he makes a solid start.


Andy Murray keeps his eyes on the ball as he makes a solid start. Photograph: Tim Ireland/AP

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First set: Murray 2-0 Millman* (*denotes server)


The problem facing Millman is clear. He’s not going to win this match by slugging it out from the baseline. But he hasn’t got the biggest serve and, when he does come in, Murray sends a topspin lob sailing serenely into the space behind him. The Queenslander quickly falls further behind, and at 15-40 concedes the first break with a netted backhand. Not the start he was looking for.



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First set: Murray* 1-0 Millman (*denotes server)


In a game notable for some wicked sliced backhands from Murray, Millman at least gets to play a couple of short rallies, the first of which he wins. That should settle any early nerves. Nonetheless, Murray belts down a forehand winner and a couple of aces to make a confident start.












Chair umpire Jake Garner has just called time. Murray has elected to serve – understandably so, given how secure he’s looked in that department over the past few weeks. Millman, meanwhile, sits in his chair lapping up the atmosphere. He’s clearly excited to be out there.



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Is Millman in the right mood to mix it with Murray here? You’d better believe it. He was out on Centre Court earlier looking very relaxed, and on Friday he was named in Australia’s Olympic team. Happy days for the man from Brisbane.



— John Millman (@johnhmillman)
July 1, 2016

Olympics selection and winning through to the third round. Days don’t get much better than that.… https://t.co/wZsNfjXUk2














Good news: Millman has been found and is out on Centre Court alongside Murray, who has just won the toss. The sun’s out again, too, so we’re well and truly set fair for the afternoon’s entertainment – beneath a reopened roof, no less.












Murray and Millman have played once before, in Millman’s native Brisbane back in 2013. Murray won that encounter in three sets, and was distinctly impressed with what he saw. “I didn’t know him before we played in Brisbane,” said Murray. “I knew it was his home town. He played extremely well that day. He was ranked, I want to say, about 200 at the time. I came off the court and I said to Dani Vallverdu, who I was working with, ‘He’s top 50 for sure if he keeps going’. I don’t know what his ranking is now, but he’s pretty close, I think, to that. He moves well. He has a great attitude. He’s played a few good matches there in Brisbane. But obviously it’s a different surface, different place. The match-up will be a bit different on a grass court.”












But stop the press, because Millman’s apparently gone AWOL! Word is no one can find him. Meanwhile, Ivan Lendl is up in Murray’s box looking distinctly unimpressed. Clearly that’s his default expression, so whether it’s Millman’s absence that’s causing him consternation is an open question.












He’s an interesting player, is Millman. Having broken into the top 100 a year or so ago, he recently achieved a career-high ranking of 60. That rise is testament to the Queenslander’s resilience, because it’s only three years since he suffered a shoulder injury that forced him off the Tour and into a sharp suit. “I worked in the City for a little bit at one of my mate’s companies,” says Millman. “I was dressed up in a suit each day going in. I always wanted to get back into tennis. And I think I really have an appreciation of these moments right now, because there was a big time there where I wasn’t too confident.”












The Centre Court roof was opened after Halep’s match but it’s since started to rain, sparking a scramble for the covers. Still, it shouldn’t take too long to get the roof closed again and there’s an air of expectation around the famous old arena, where the usual middle-Saturday array of sporting stars are up in the Royal Box. Among them are David Beckham, Denise Lewis and Sir Chris Hoy, boxers Nicola Adams and Carl Froch, and retired rugby union stars Bill Beaumont and Brian O’Driscoll. That should get the competitive juices of both players flowing; neither man will want to give a bad account of himself in front of such luminaries.












We should be underway shortly. Simona Halep, whose efforts to introduce greater boldness to her game are starting to reap dividends, has just seen off Kiki Bertens, the 26th seed from the Netherlands, in straight sets. The bottom half of the women’s draw looks pretty open following the shock defeat of second seed Garbiñe Muguruza, and you wouldn’t put it past the plucky Romanian to go one step further than she did a couple of summers ago, when she made the last four at the All England Club.











Preamble



In the six weeks since the French Open began, Andy Murray’s world has turned on its head. Seeded second at Roland Garros, where he arrived on a high after a magnificent victory over Novak Djokovic on the clay courts of the Foro Italico, Murray was battle-bruised and weary of limb within two rounds after playing back-to-back five setters against Radek Stepanek and Mathias Bourgue. That was in mid-May. Wind the clock forward to the middle Saturday of Wimbledon and we find the Scot, who arrived in SW19 on a high after claiming a record-breaking fifth title at Queen’s Club, fresh as the proverbial daisy after sweeping past fellow Brit Liam Broady and Yen-Hsun Lu in straight sets. In Paris, Murray was detained for more than seven hours over the first two rounds; at Wimbledon, it has taken him just three hours and 42 minutes to make round three. Better yet, from Murray’s perspective, this time around it is Novak Djokovic, rather than Murray, struggling to avoid an early defeat. And while Roland Garros began with the world No2 forced to deny rumours of a rift with Amélie Mauresmo, the coach with whom he parted company shortly before the tournament started, Wimbledon has started on a more positive note, with Ivan Lendl’s return to the fold.


In short, much has changed for the 2013 champion over the past month and a half, and most of it for the better. But, what with this being professional sport and all, the horizon is not cloud-free. Blackening the outlook for Murray is the imposing figure of John Millman, the 6ft, 67th-ranked Australian who, at the ripe old age of 27, is riding the crest of a mid-career wave at the All England Club and apparently in no mood to stop. Having accounted for Benoît Paire, the 26th-seeded Frenchman, in the previous round, Millman reflected: “You dream of playing on the biggest courts against the biggest players. I feel as if I deserve to be there. I have played two good matches to get through. I have never been one to necessarily go out with an intimidated mindset before I play. I think that that’s kind of being disrespectful to the game. So we are going to start at 0-0. I’m going to give it everything.” Can he extend the best run of his career in SW19? We’re about to find out.



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