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

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  1. What is it with men and sport ..... WHY does it always­ revert to a slanging match ??

    From Liz, on Wed 1 Jul 9:30PM

  2. update for all english plums that aussie girl you claim­ is english and get very excited about is getting­ stuffed in a girls competition,doubt that result will­ be on the news tnite lol, ime loving it

    From stefi grafs ex, on Wed 1 Jul 9:24PM

  3. Could eveyone please just focus on the important stuff­ im 100 % scottish and i couldnt give a damn about­ scottish and english footy this is tennis. At the end­ of the Day we just want to be supportive of Andy hes­ done well he didnt get to No3 in the world for nothing.­ We just want the 2 best players to get to the final if­ thats Murray then fine we should back him up he­ represents for the whole of UK so stop the bull @#$%­ with England and Scotland etc the fact is he said­ something about Footy regards to something Tim Henman­ had said it was years ago. Hes British and he needs the­ support of everyone. Hopefully he gets to the final if­ he wins then amazing even if he doesnt at least we know­ we have a great tennis legend in the making so support­ our only hope guys and stop the debates.

    Go Andy­ Makes Us proud

    From Jason, on Wed 1 Jul 9:22PM

  4. Its My old mate Lex, Starved of oxgen at birth i see,­ Do you make these stories up. by the way LEX you better­ pray the sweaty sock wins today cos me and all the­ Murray haters will be taking the piss later..

    From Paul J, on Wed 1 Jul 9:09PM

  5. roddick vs hewitt will be the game to watch today

    From wayne.self, on Wed 1 Jul 9:04PM

  6. inverkenny - you sad, sad man.

    From mpmurray74, on Wed 1 Jul 9:02PM

  7. So which one do you think is going to win? ManU or­ Chelsea?

    From Adz, on Wed 1 Jul 8:43PM
  8. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    ferreo will win

    From Alen, on Wed 1 Jul 8:41PM

  9. ich bein ein englander

    From offmymash, on Wed 1 Jul 8:38PM

  10. Adrian, firstly I would be very interested to see how­ you have got your 99.5% statistic, slight exagerration­ my friend.
    Regarding football, I was answering a poster­ who found it hilarious that our kids were beaten by­ germany a couple of days ago. You are not that correct­ in your premier league comments. Man City (because of­ shovelloads of money), Liverpool and Arsenal are in the­ mix for the title, and Blackburn won it not too long­ ago. lol

    From malcolm, on Wed 1 Jul 8:37PM
  11. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Because murray is s a plum with the personality of a­ mollusc?

    From malcolm, on Wed 1 Jul 8:30PM

  12. We are all African, why the fuss?

    From lordlink1984, on Wed 1 Jul 8:29PM

  13. POINT 127 Are you telling me that Bolton is in with a­ shout of winning the EPL and that it's no longer­ ManU/Chelsea dominated of which are 2 teams??? Go­ Murray 99.5% of the UK are behind you mate!!! Except­ that 0.5% which spouts their rubbish on here.

    From Adz, on Wed 1 Jul 8:28PM

  14. We are all British, why all the fuss?

    From mark, on Wed 1 Jul 8:21PM
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    MURRAY WILL END UP WITH NOTHING AS FEDERER WILL SMASH­ HIM TO BITS AND LEAVE HIM IN THE GUTTER WHERE HE­ BELONGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    From bernie6969, on Wed 1 Jul 8:20PM

  16. james.mc hows donney today ??!!

    From the silent assassin, on Wed 1 Jul 8:17PM

  17. And none of the clans butchered each other in years­ gone by eh Lex? The Campbells, Macdonalds, McLeods and­ the rest were constantly putting each other to the­ sword and the treachery and disloyalty in their­ prospective camps was legendary. Check a bit of your­ own history before you start chucking stones my friend.

    From malcolm, on Wed 1 Jul 8:16PM

  18. MURRAY WILL WIN A SLAM . . .

    HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE­ HEE HEE . . .

    From JEEMS, on Wed 1 Jul 8:11PM
  19. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    wot did u invent a fu,.king haggis ha ha

    From deesydave, on Wed 1 Jul 7:56PM

  20. Good luck to Karlovic and Murray................the­ King of Tennis is back..........................Go RF

    From Roger 15 Slams, on Wed 1 Jul 7:51PM
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