Murray Is Successful At Queen’s—Three Ways

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 17th June 2013

Murray Is Successful At Queen’s—Three Ways

epa03747746 Britain's Andy Murray poses with the trophy after winning the final match against Croatia's Martin Cilic for the Aegon Championships at the Queen's Club in London, Britain, 16 June 2013. EPA/BOGDAN MARAN |

Andy Murray succeeded in achieving three distinct aims over the weekend. Not only did he prove his Wimbledon fitness after missing the French Open with back problems by winning the AEGON Championships for a third time in five years. The world no.2 also helped to raise more than £200,000 for the Fight Against Cancer charity, and took great satisfaction in smacking a tennis ball into the stomach of his coach and mentor Ivan Lendl.

First the world no.2 rounded off a victorious week at London’s Queen’s Club with an impressive 5-7, 7-5, 6-4 final win over defending champion Marin Cilic that started three and a half hour late because of rain.

Within just a few minutes he was back on the Queen’s Club court for more than an hour of light-hearted hijinks in a good cause, raising money for the charity that supports London’s Royal Marsden Hospital where his close friend and British Davis Cup team-mate Ross Hutchins is being treated in his battle with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

First Murray teamed up with his predecessor as British no.1 Tim Henman to win a doubles match against coach Ivan Lendl and Tomas Berdych. Murray had previously vowed to employ Lendl’s classic tactic of ‘drilling’ his opponent – hitting an intimidating full-blooded forehand straight in the body. And the 26 year-old was as good as his word.

“It was a great shot, as well,” said an exultant Murray who performed the sort of leaping and air-punching celebration normally associated with a Jo-Wilfried Tsonga triumph . “I hit it so clean, so clean.”

A grimacing Lendl responded: “He will be lucky to make it next Monday.” But Murray then joined a host of British celebrities such as Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson and Mayor of London Boris Johnson as well as comedians and actors in some hit and giggle tennis.

“It has been a great day for different reasons,” said Murray who got involved in the charity planning with Hutchins and tournament director Chris Kermode soon after returning from January’s Australian Open.

“Ross is one of my best friends, so whether I won or lost the final against Marin, it wasn’t going to change the fact that we were still doing something really good.”

And on his Wimbledon chances, Murray added: “I feel much happier now than I did at the beginning of the week because you don’t always come into this tournament with particularly high expectations. I lost in my first match last year but went on to have my best ever Wimbledon but this time it was really, really important after missing the French Open.”