Andy Murray and Serena Williams put on brilliant Centre Court show in Wimbledon mixed doubles win
IT STARTED out initially as a bit of a fantasy pairing – the tennis version of the Harlem Globetrotters.
When Andy Murray complained last month he was struggling to find a suitable mixed doubles partner, a member of the media randomly suggested Serena Williams, the sport’s greatest female player, would make a wonderful fit.
Nobody truly believed it would happen. It would surely end up fizzling out like most brief flirtations.
If anything, whenever they mentioned the possibility in press conferences, it was said with a glint in the eye and considered as a good PR stunt. Williams is a very busy woman, who has eyes firmly on a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title.
Yet late last night, a few hours after Murray had surrendered his men’s doubles participation, the Dream Team pairing became a reality on the Centre Court on primetime Saturday night TV.
And maybe by next weekend it could end up becoming one of the greatest comebacks in British sport.
While some might see this as a bit of a fun, a high-profile knockout – and it certainly was an entertaining spectacle – the two players are taking this seriously.
It might look like exhibition tennis – especially when it appeared Williams had forgotten to take off her accreditation tag after two points – but the stellar pair are determined to go all the way.
They were not messing about they won 6-4 6-1 in less than an hour-and-a-half against Chilean Alexa Guarachi and German Andrea Mies.
And should they end up lifting mixed doubles silverware, it would cap an extraordinary turnaround for Murray.
Less than six months ago, he was at his lowest ebb emotionally, physically and mentally. The 32-year-old was lying on an operating table awaiting a metal hip implant that he hoped would prolong a career in jeopardy.
Yet here was playing alongside the American sports giant, playing pain-free, happy, smiling tennis.
Though there is plenty of mutual respect between them, they have never been close pals on the circuit.
Over the past few days the pair have bonded over baby and parenting duties.
Though she has more trophies on the mantelpiece and is five years older, the 37-year-old said she would not look to boss the Scot around, especially on his favourite courtyard.
Instead they worked in tandem, discussing and cooperating on team tactics, high-fiving at the key moments, covering the court like the seasoned pros they are.
You could tell they were simply enjoying it. The pressure for the time being was off. The crowd were having fun. There were lots of laughs as the pair scrapped and fought for the points.
It was fitting perhaps that Billie Jean King should be watching from the Royal Box. King played chauvinist Bobby Riggs in 1973 in that infamous Battle of Sexes, and she must be incredibly proudly by the equality shown in this advanced sport.
BACK FOR GOOD
The cheers and elation was a complete contrast to the deflation felt only four hours earlier.
In the men’s doubles, there had been optimism, rightly or wrongly, that Murray and partner Pierre-Hugues Herbert would go all the way this Wimbledon fortnight.
That belief had been heightened by the Queen’s doubles title won last month alongside Spaniard Feliciano Lopez.
But, if truth be told, perhaps we were always expecting too much for him to excel in a discipline where his elder brother Jamie succeeds.
And it was probably no great surprise that when they met credible doubles opposition for the first time both Murray and Herbert found their experimental partnership came unstuck.
The pair had barely had time to practise together and their first training session, by their own admission, had been close to a disaster with a lack of understanding and rhythm.
And against the robust and experienced Croatian pairing of Nikola Metkic and Franko Skugor, despite a positive beginning, they found their level.
Though they won the competitive hour-long first set in a tie-break, there were far too many errors to keep it going. In the end, they lost 6-7 6-4 6-2 6-3 to the No6 seeds and the dream was over.
Herbert conceded afterwards that the partnership is likely to have run its course. He will return to Nicolas Mahut, who had dumped temporarily for this event, ahead of the US Open in August.
For Murray, meanwhile, the Dream continues with Williams. And who knows for how long?
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