Reuters reuters

Nadal faces growing Murray bandwagon

Wed 02 Jul, 02:34 PM


LONDON (Reuters) - French Open champion Rafael Nadal will come up against the burgeoning Andy Murray factor when the two meet in the Wimbledon quarter-finals on Wednesday.

Favourite Nadal would normally have a good part of the crowd with him as he looks to reach the final for the third time in a row in pursuit of his first All England Club title.

But facing Murray, at 21 a year younger than the Spaniard, on the Wimbledon turf is fast becoming a new phenomenon.

Frenchman Richard Gasquet, the eighth seed and a semi-finalist last year, can bear testimony to that after what he called a Davis Cup-like clash with Murray in the fourth round on Monday.

Gasquet was two sets and 5-4 up and serving for the match yet the 12th-seeded Briton succeeded in simultaneously beefing himself and the crowd up for a remarkable comeback, taking a third-set tiebreak and going on to win 5-7 3-6 7-6 6-2 6-4 in fading light.

"The crowd were awesome," Murray told reporters. "They got behind me...more than ever before...They clearly made a difference at the end.

"Obviously he's the favourite... but I do think that I can win," said Murray, who rates his five-set defeat by Nadal at the 2007 Australian Open as his best performance before Monday's victory.

Number two seed Nadal had an easier passage to the last eight, beating Mikhail Youzhny of Russia 6-3 6-3 6-1, though he had a scare in the second game which turned out to be no more serious than a muscle twinge at the back of his right knee.

Of more concern for Nadal will be his concentration when the crowd, desperate for a home winner at Wimbledon after the now-retired Tim Henman failed to deliver over the last decade, is audibly behind Murray.

"I know if I play against Andy Murray, probably the crowd is going to be with him," Nadal said before he knew the identity of his quarter-final opponent.

"But I think with me they're going to be nice, too, no?"

Murray must overcome considerable odds against Nadal, champion at Roland Garros the last four years and who has beaten the Scot the three times they have met.

Their first meeting in the fourth round of the Australian Open a year and a half ago was the closest, with Nadal winning 6-7 6-4 4-6 6-3 6-1.

The Spaniard has not allowed Murray a set since then.

(Editing by Clare Lovell).

 

Comment 52 - 71 of 71

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  1. Quote from above "The Spaniard has not allowed Murray a set since then.

    "The Spaniard has not allowed Murray a set since then."

    And he still hasn't.
    As those who cricisised us can see, we were being realistic. It's one thing vs Gasquet who has been having a crisis of confidence over the last few months and completely another against the player who has won 5 out of his last 6 tournaments!

    From dianabc44, on Wed 2 Jul 11:00PM

  2. well he didnt :)

    From jelena k, on Wed 2 Jul 8:17PM

  3. hope he can do what he did against gasquet......

    From JJ f, on Wed 2 Jul 7:32PM

  4. 2 sets to nil up , nadal against murray................have we got a match on our hands??

    From JJ f, on Wed 2 Jul 7:28PM

  5. Murray can win against Nadal but not until he does things consistently. Sometimes he is energetic and a minute later sluggish. If that happens tonight, which I have noticed is cripping in his style of play, he stands no chance. However, he is capable of playing wonderful tennis and he doesn't have to wait until Nadal retires to progress to winning major titles. Take off the presure Murray

    From emanyaleni, on Wed 2 Jul 7:04PM

  6. I KNOW MURRAY IS CLAIMING HE IS SCOTTISH AND NOT A GREAT BRITAIN BUT HE IS PLAYING BRILLIANTLY AND HE IS ALL WE'VE GOT - PLEASE GET BEHIND HIM AND STOP BITCHING - WENDY BROWN

    From brownatbulgaria, on Wed 2 Jul 6:07PM

  7. What about grammar and punctuation?

    "why don,t you all learn to spell first .?"

    SHOULD read:

    "why don't ya'll see that I'm just a stupid brit?'

    From Ajax K, on Wed 2 Jul 5:55PM

  8. vamos nadal!!!!!!!!!!

    From david.fayad, on Wed 2 Jul 5:50PM

  9. why don,t you all learn to spell first .?

    From geoffrey m, on Wed 2 Jul 5:47PM

  10. "FOREIGN IDIOTS" have been winning the Wimbledon men's title since 1936 (despite the British "crowed"). I'm sure some people would be delighted if they stopped playing tennis on "are" court. It would certainly lower the odds on a "home" victory. We'd have missed: Borg, Connors, Agassi, Edberg, Cash, Federer... but then again if you don't really like tennis or "foreign idiots", that would make any difference to you. CHEERS

    From rhymes450, on Wed 2 Jul 5:46PM

  11. hypocrite!!!!!

    From david.fayad, on Wed 2 Jul 5:45PM

  12. CAN SOMBODY HELP ME OUT IS THERE ANY PEOPLE ON HERE WHO SUPPORT MURRAY FOR GOD SAKES HES BRITISH YOU BRITS WHO ARE SLATING HIM SHOULD BE ASHAMED !!!!

    From ibtselectrical, on Wed 2 Jul 5:43PM

  13. hypocrite!!!

    From david.fayad, on Wed 2 Jul 5:39PM

  14. Murray claims to be doing chinups with 40lb weights around his waste. savage

    From Ajax K, on Wed 2 Jul 5:34PM

  15. and what was murray showing of? his biceps are not half as big as nadals!!

    From david.fayad, on Wed 2 Jul 5:28PM

  16. ibsterictical about what u sed that murray came balck from 2 sets down well nadal will never be in that possition and the croud lead murray to victory

    From david.fayad, on Wed 2 Jul 5:25PM

  17. Nadal will be pouring Murry gravy over his bangers and mash dinner :

    From Ajax K, on Wed 2 Jul 5:17PM

  18. WHY DONT ALL YOU FOREIGN IDIOTS STOP MOANING ON ARE SITE IF YOU DONT BACK MURRAY YOU SHOULD DO ONE NADAL IS GOING TO BE UNDONE BY A STRONGER FITTER OPPONENT LETS SEE SOME OF THE BIG BOYS GO 2 SETS DOWN AND COME BACK YOUR ALL SCARED OF THE BRITISH CROWED

    From ibtselectrical, on Wed 2 Jul 5:16PM

  19. It's sad to say, but Murry doesn't have a shot in hell at beating Nadal. I'm not even confident that Federer is going to make inroads against him, although who knows, we might yet have another slaughtered bull. Btw, whats with the poor grammar? Can I write edit these articles?

    From Ajax K, on Wed 2 Jul 5:11PM

  20. It will be a cold day in Wimbledonhell before Murray beats Nadal...

    From Ned, on Wed 2 Jul 5:01PM
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