Wimbledon - Murray ready for Ferrero

Eurosport - Wed, 01 Jul 15:15:00 2009

A wily Spaniard stands in the way of Andy Murray at Wimbledon today.

Andy Murray of Britain returns the ball to Ernests Gulbis of Latvia during their match at Wimbledon REUTERS - 0

Murray faces former world number one - and former French Open champion - Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain for a place in the last four.

Murray, bidding to become Britain's first male champion since Fred Perry in 1936, needed five sets to get past Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka in the fourth round on Monday.

It was the latest ever finish to a Wimbledon match courtesy of the Centre Court's £80 million roof being rolled out for the first time.

"Ferrero is a very tough player on virtually all surfaces," said the Scotsman who won the pair's only previous meeting on grass in the semi-finals at Queen's this month.

"I played great at Queen's but if I play poorly on Wednesday there's a good chance I will lose.

"I believe I can win Wimbledon," added Murray. "That's not changed since the first match. But, like I said, I'm gonna have to play great tennis to do it."

Ferrero, now ranked at 70 in the world, was a quarter-finalist at SW19 in 2007 and is the first wildcard to reach the last eight since Goran Ivanisevic in 2001.

That year, Ivanisevic famously won the title.

"I have a little bit more rhythm than that week (at Queen's). I have learned some things. I have to do my job, be aggressive all the time, because he likes to play at one level, and then change the rhythm very fast," said Ferrero.

If Murray gets to the semi-finals, then either 2002 champion Lleyton Hewitt or two-time runner-up Andy Roddick will be waiting for him.

Hewitt, the only Australian in the draw, insists he has nothing to fear from the sixth seed after staging his fifth career comeback from two sets to love down to beat Czech 23rd seed Radek Stepanek 4-6 2-6 6-1 6-2 6-2.

That victory, and his second round triumph over fifth seed Juan Martin Del Potro, have given the 28-year-old a huge boost following last year's hip surgery.

Hewitt felt he had the better of Roddick at Queen's earlier this month when he lost in the third round in two tiebreaks.

"Queen's was only one or two points. I felt like I had the better of him in the actual service games that we were playing," Hewitt said.

Hewitt has won six of the pair's 11 meetings, but the American has won the last four, a run stretching back over four years.

"It doesn't get any easier from here. I have loads of respect for Lleyton and what he's been able to accomplish," said Roddick who made the quarter-finals with a straight sets win over Czech Tomas Berdych.

AFP

Comment 149 - 168 of 168

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  1. well done murray for getin 2 the semi's. xx

    From smiley123, on Wed 1 Jul 5:04PM

  2. POINT 70 Well said its a mutual but friendly rivalry­ that some people seem to take to far.

    From Adz, on Wed 1 Jul 4:19PM

  3. comment 133 im going now ....yr mum ha ha cya di,.k­ splash ha ha

    From deesydave, on Wed 1 Jul 3:45PM

  4. c`mon Ferrero....spank the scott

    From tulip.design, on Wed 1 Jul 3:26PM

  5. #111 Foeyp.. Do you work in a fish n chips shop then?

    From Jamie, on Wed 1 Jul 3:20PM

  6. Oh yes and I love to see Scotland lose at football too­ as im English, but I dont hate them, its just a famous­ old rivalry we have had since we all started playing­ it. PS I will still call Murray british if he loses as­ thats what it says on his passport.

    From Jamie, on Wed 1 Jul 3:14PM

  7. Come on Susan Doyle.

    From darcy h, on Wed 1 Jul 3:11PM

  8. Scotland , England, Wales , Northern ireland are all­ fabulous countries that make up Great Britain. Each and­ everyone of them has its advantages and disadvantages,­ and at the end of the day we all stick together in­ times of war and the olympics. As for laura Robson­ being an aussie..well maybe she is but, most aussies­ are of British origin anyways.

    From Jamie, on Wed 1 Jul 3:10PM

  9. hahahahaha malcbriger, thats a good one....... my only­ comeback to that is

    Tell them anytime as history shows­ 'the IRA will make them run the hell away'

    lol­ that was a good one though, you made everyone in my­ house laugh

    slan....

    From jenna teresa, on Wed 1 Jul 3:08PM

  10. Come on Susan Doyle you can do it.

    From darcy h, on Wed 1 Jul 3:05PM

  11. the black and tans are coming to get you Slan.

    From malcolm, on Wed 1 Jul 2:55PM

  12. Laura who? Wasn't the enigmatic 'mr­ personality' murray born with a silver spoon up his­ sporran?

    From malcolm, on Wed 1 Jul 2:52PM

  13. Check your history Mark, it was the English who voted­ him into number 10 not the scots

    From jenna teresa, on Wed 1 Jul 2:50PM

  14. Right Or Wrong ? Coming From An English Man

    From DAVE, on Wed 1 Jul 2:45PM

  15. Re 155, He wasnt voted in by the English, he was voted­ for by Scottish voters. Just watch his @#$% get kicked­ out of number 10 at the next election when the English­ finally get a say in who is running the country.

    From mark t, on Wed 1 Jul 2:44PM

  16. great to see the posh little girl robson, daddy is an­ oil executive getting her little aussie bottom­ thrashed,spoilt little brat is dross

    From stefi grafs ex, on Wed 1 Jul 2:44PM

  17. gareth southgate and phil brown lol wouldnt give them a­ job in tesco

    From stefi grafs ex, on Wed 1 Jul 2:40PM

  18. When They Win There Brits When They Lose There Classed­ As Scotish ETC ETC ETC

    From DAVE, on Wed 1 Jul 2:39PM

  19. RE: Football - - Alex Ferguson, Owen Coyle, Davie­ Moyes, Capelo,Mark Hughes, Arson Vengor,Rafael Benitez­ how many good english managers have the premiership­ got??.....
    They are just like everything else in your­ history you have plundered

    Murray is a damn good­ player, he is number three in the world for a reason,­ where did Henman get to again?? easily­ forgotton.....

    And as for these skirt wearers... does­ that include the man that the English voted for to run­ your country??

    Im irish but just thought i would put­ my unbiast opinion in..... :) :)

    Slan
    xxxxx

    From jenna teresa, on Wed 1 Jul 2:36PM

  20. CORRECTION SOME MEN and SPORT !!!

    Well said Jason­ ...

    Go Andy .....

    From Liz, on Wed 1 Jul 2:31PM
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