I have the weapons to beat Murray – Kyrgios

Posted: Jul 03, 2016

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Andy Murray says he faces a “formidable” challenge to win Wimbledon for a second time despite Novak Djokovic’s surprise exit.

Murray, the 2013 champion, faces Australia’s Nick Kyrgios in the fourth round on Monday.

“There are some pretty decent players left in my way, so I’m not getting carried away,” Murray wrote in his BBC Sport column.

Day seven also features Roger Federer and Serena Williams.

Order of play – who is in action when?

Centre Court order of play (13:00 BST start)
[3] Roger Federer v Steve Johnson
[1] Serena Williams v Svetlana Kuznetsova [13]
[15] Nick Kyrgios v Andy Murray [2]

‘I have the weapons to beat Murray’

Kyrgios has yet to beat Murray in any of their previous four meetings.

Yet the 21-year-old is confident of causing an upset against the world number two after the 15th seed turned on the style to outclass Spain’s Feliciano Lopez on Middle Sunday.

“I definitely have the tools to beat Andy,” he said. “I definitely feel like he’s beatable. He’s only human, but at the same time he’s a great player.

“He is one of the best in the world and is probably the favourite now Novak is out.

“I’ve got a game plan, we both know what to expect and I’m really looking forward to it. I know what to do but it’s hard to execute it against such a top player like him.”

Court One order of play (13:00 BST start)
[5] Simona Halep v Madison Keys [9]
[8] Venus Williams v Carla Suarez Navarro [12]
[7] Richard Gasquet v Jo-Wilfried Tsonga [12]

‘Kyrgios a big match player’

Kyrgios has come under fire for his on-court behaviour, but Murray believes the media is guilty of “winding him up the whole time”.

“Nick is an extremely good server who is improving all of the time,” he added.

“He likes the big courts, the big matches and has performed well in those situations before.

“Every time he’s in here you’re trying to wind him up the whole time. It’s not really fair on him, to be honest.”

Kyrgios v Murray: What the pundits say

Lleyton Hewitt, former Wimbledon champion: “Nick will have to use all his weapons and firepower. Andy will try to turn it into a physical battle.

“Nick plays pretty short points and it’s hard to turn points into a physical battle against him. Andy backs himself against anyone when it gets physical, especially over five sets and I’m sure that’s what he’s going to try and do again.

“It’s how many balls Andy keeps getting back. Can he keep making Nick play the extra ball? But Nick on his day can hit anyone off the court.”

John Lloyd, 1977 Australian Open finalist: “If Nick Kyrgios stays like this, with this concentration and focus, Andy Murray will be in for a tough match. Andy will win. He might drop a set, possibly two, but he will come through.”

Tim Henman, four-time Wimbledon semi-finalist: “Andy has to stay focused on the things he can control – that’s his preparation and performance. Djokovic has dominated but Andy has separated himself from the others as world number two.

“He was my favourite before the tournament and still my favourite now. But there’s a long way to go.”

Unseeded Johnson stands in the way of Federer

Steve Johnson will draw inspiration from doubles partner Sam Querrey as he attempts to pull off an upset against seven-time Wimbledon champion Federer.

Querrey produced a huge shock when he beat Djokovic on Saturday and unseeded Johnson, in the fourth round at Wimbledon for the first time, said his fellow-American’s exploits had given him hope.

“You see Novak lose, you sense the locker room, like believe there is a chance,” the 26-year-old said.

Federer has yet to drop a set at Wimbledon 2016.

Querrey looking to complete another surprise

Querrey will return to action, facing Nicolas Mahut two days after pulling off the biggest shock of the tournament so far.

Querrey knocked out defending champion Djokovic in a four-set thriller to end Djokovic’s run of 30 successive victories.

His opponent Mahut completed a three set win over fellow Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbet on Saturday.

Mahut was part of Wimbledon’s infamous 11-hour game against John Isner in 2010, the longest match in tennis history, which Mahut lost 70-68 in the final set.

Venus v Serena final?

Will it be a showdown between the Williams sisters in the women’s singles final next Saturday?

Serena needed just 51 minutes to clinch the 300th Grand Slam win of her career on Sunday as the defending champion made the Wimbledon last 16.

Both will be in action on Monday, with Venus facing number twelve seed Carla Suarez Navarro on Court Two and Serena returning to Centre Court to face Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova.

“I wouldn’t bet against it,” former French Open doubles finalist Jeff Tarango told BBC Radio 5 live.

“Venus has had two days off and she is going to feel like a whole new woman next week.”

Serena and Venus last met at Wimbledon in 2015, with Serena claiming a fourth round victory on her way to her sixth Wimbledon title.

Best of the rest

Last year’s semi-finalist Richard Gasquet returns to the action on Court One against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, giving the 31-year-old Frenchman just 24 hours to recover from an epic four-hour battle that saw him win 19-17 in the fifth set against Isner.

Dominika Cibulkova, who knocked out Eugenie Bouchard on Saturday, plays 2012 finalist Agnieszka Radwanska, while 10th-seed Tomas Berdych faces fellow Czech Jiri Vesely on Court Three.

The first game on Court One is Simona Halep against Madison Keys, who beat Barbora Strycova to win the Aegon Classic in Birmingham last month.