LONDON: Andy Murray is teaming up with Emma Raducanu at Wimbledon in an eye-catching all-British mixed doubles pairing as part of his emotional farewell to the tournament.
The pair were Wednesday granted a wild card just a day after Murray, 37, pulled out of the singles due to his failure to regain full fitness following a back operation.
The two-time Wimbledon singles champion will also play men’s doubles with his brother Jamie at the All England Club, launching their campaign on Center Court on Thursday.
The mixed doubles event starts the following day.
Murray played mixed doubles with Serena Williams in 2019, making it to the third round, but it will be a Grand Slam debut in doubles for Raducanu.
The Scot, who has been ravaged by injuries in recent years, was asked after practice on Wednesday how the new doubles pairing had come about.
“Yesterday I was chatting to my team, they were discussing mixed and then last night I messaged her coach and just said, ‘Look, do you think this is something that maybe she’d be up for doing?’” he said.
Raducanu was quick to accept the proposal from the former world number one.
“Thankfully I got quite a quick reply,” said Murray. “It was quite late yesterday evening when I sent the message, it would have been after nine, so I was a bit worried she might be in bed, but I got a quick reply. She said, ‘Yeah, let’s do it’.”
Speaking earlier this week, Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, said teaming up with Murray at Wimbledon was “a childhood dream.”
Murray, now ranked 113th in the world, said despite his new partner’s inexperience, she would be well-suited to the format.
“She’s obviously unbelievably competitive and likes playing in the big stadiums and stuff with crowds so I expect she’ll deal with that really well,” he said.
He added: “She’s a brilliant returner and great ball striker so I’d imagine she’ll deal with returning guys’ serves well. And, when she’s getting into exchanges at the back of the court, she’ll be really good.”
The British pair face a tough opening contest against Marcelo Arevalo and Zhang Shuai.
El Salvador’s Arevalo last month won the men’s doubles title for the second time at the French Open while China’s Zhang is also a two-time Grand Slam doubles champion.
Raducanu eased into the third round of the Wimbledon singles with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Elize Mertens on Wednesday.
Murray teams up with Raducanu in Wimbledon British dream team
https://arab.news/4vb2y
Murray teams up with Raducanu in Wimbledon British dream team
- The pair were Wednesday granted a wild card just a day after Murray, 37, pulled out of the singles
- The two-time Wimbledon singles champion will also play men’s doubles with his brother Jamie at the All England Club
Sara Bejlek celebrates career-first WTA Tour win at Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open
- 20-year-old qualifier beats Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-6, 6-1 in the final
- Alexandrova and Maya Joint sealed the women’s doubles title
ABU DHABI: The final day of the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open was a memorable one for 20-year-old Sara Bejlek as she captured her maiden WTA Tour title in only her second appearance at this level.
Ekaterina Alexandrova and Maya Joint claimed the doubles crown, while Yui Kamiji won the inaugural Wheelchair Tennis Invitational presented by the WTA Foundation.
Bejlek, competing in her tournament debut as a qualifier, defied the odds by defeating pre-match favorite Alexandrova, who was chasing an Abu Dhabi double having reached both the singles and doubles finals. With her 7-6, 6-1 victory, Bejlek became the first Czech player to win the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open title.
Bejlek said after the win: “I’m getting back into shape, and it feels incredible. Now I know I can compete with anyone and not be scared of anybody. My team believed in me even before I stepped back on court, and now I truly believe it too.
“I’ve learned that as long as the match isn’t finished, I always have a chance. I’m really happy with how my team is working with me, and today Abu Dhabi has become my favorite tournament.”
In the doubles, Alexandrova responded strongly after her singles final defeat to claim the title alongside Australian Joint. The pair secured a 6-3, 6-7, 10-8 victory over Tereza Mihalikova and Olivia Nicholls in a fiercely contested but rain-delayed match.
Earlier in the day, World No.1 Kamiji made history when she won the inaugural wheelchair event 6-3, 6-2. The final against 20 grand slam title winner Jiske Griffioen on the ADCB Court 1 attracted huge crowds as both players displayed their skills for the first time in Abu Dhabi.
Kamiji said after the win: “I’m really happy to get the opportunity to play here; it’s such a great tournament and the courts are fantastic as well. My goal for the season is to win the title I haven’t been able to get yet, which is the Wimbledon singles.”
In the Road to Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open, there was some outstanding finals between the most talented youngsters in the country. In the Under-12 category, Uchechukwu (Megan) Uzokwe and Yezid Baccouche were crowned champions. Isabelle James secured her third consecutive Road to MADO title, while Marwan Safi claimed the Under-14 boys’ crown. In the Under-16 category, Saida Ismail eared the girls’ title and Timur Gordeev lifted his third consecutive trophy in the competition.
Monica Puig, Olympic gold medalist in tennis and tournament presenter, said: “The Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open is the first of three tournaments in the Middle East, and is a special event to be part of. The fans have made it an incredible week, and they always turn out for this tournament, so that is really great to see.
“Sara (Bejlek’s) performance was impressive for a 20-year-old because I never saw her at any point look nervous on the court. She just stuck to her guns and did what she needed to do, and I’m really excited to keep an eye on her.”
Nigel Gupta, tournament director for the event, said: “The Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open has once again proven to be a fantastic tournament, with sell-out crowds creating an incredible atmosphere and fans were treated to world-class tennis throughout the week. Seeing Bejlek win her first WTA Tour title was truly unbelievable and a joy for everyone watching.
“It was also incredibly exciting to showcase wheelchair tennis at this event for the first time — the level, skill and competitiveness on display was outstanding. We’re already looking ahead to how we can continue building this tournament and ensuring it continues to be an event that everyone looks forward to each year.”
