Andy Murray hopes that pal Novak Djokovic breaks the men’s singles grand slam record on Sunday at the French Open – after the Scot showed that he still has plenty to offer on the grass this summer by reaching the semi-finals at Surbiton.
The 36-year-old Murray, who decided not to play at the clay grand slam in Paris to focus on his favourite surface, claimed a superb three-set 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 comeback win against Jason Kubler in terrible conditions featuring both searing heat and high winds in Surrey.
Three-time slam champion Murray - who will now play Surbiton specialist, defending champion and three-time finalist Jordan Thompson from Australia -came off court shortly after Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz in four sets at Roland Garros to put himself within one win of chalking up a 23rd slam singles success – which would see him edge one clear of Rafa Nadal in the all-time pantheon.
Murray, chasing a first title on grass since Wimbledon 2016, said: “The win for Novak over Carlos Alcaraz – who is going to win multiple slams – is obviously a big one.
“When you come up against guys who have won 10 or 20 grand slams in the semis, it is different to competing against other players without those experiences.
“That was something like Novak’s 45th grand slam semi-final, an incredible number. And it would be amazing to see him do it on Sunday.
“I’ll be supporting him and I hope he can do it because it is incredible what he has done.
“Today they were very hard conditions, lots of wind gusts which for me are the worst conditions to play tennis in.
“You can never get set behind the ball, it is always coming in or moving away from you. But I did well to finish it off and played some good tennis when I needed to.
“I wanted to come and get matches here – I have got at least four, and hopefully I can make that five tomorrow. And I would like to play in slightly easier conditions to know better where my game is.
“I need to make a decision – and that might be tonight – about whether I play in Stuttgart or Nottingham next week. There are pros and cons.
“Nottingham is less travel and the courts are probably more similar to Wimbledon and Queen’s. Last year in Stuttgart it was very hot and the court was very fast. But I liked the event in Stuttgart last year and played well there.”
Murray also praised the performance of the British women at Surbiton, who have been the subject of recent criticism for not having a representative in the French Open main singles draw, and having no player in the world’s top 100 - each for the first time in many years. However they have provided three of the four semi-finalists for Saturday, in Katie Boulter, Katie Swan and Lily Miyazaki.
He added: “The British women have had a very good week here. A lot of them have played really well. To build your ranking up you need to be out there competing, and quite a few have had niggly injuries.
“Hopefully that is behind them and pretty much all of them like playing on these grass courts – Katie Boulter, Katie Swan, Harriet Dart, Jodie Burrage.
“Hopefully they can have a good run and push their rankings up because I know they are capable of being top 100 players, they just need to be out on the tour consistently.
“I don’t really know what people consider as success for a grand slam nation. Is it grand slam champions? Is it players in the top 100?
“I have spoken to some of the ex French players who have had lots of great players in the last 20 years, but would right now take a grand slam champion over more depth.
“I want to see more British players competing at the top of the game, because I care about it. But how should you quantify success? Before I won a slam there was whining we hadn’t had one.
“Now Emma Raducanu has won one recently, but people want more depth. I don’t really know, I just want to see British players win more matches.”
There has certainly been a defiant air among the British women in Surbiton this week – as well as an ongoing battle for the No1 spot. Former US Open champion Raducanu remains out recovering from wrist surgery,
But back on the grass at Surbiton Boulter beat Victorija Golubic 7-5, 6-2 and now faces Belgium’s Yanina Wickmayer.
Leicester’s Boulter, 26, looks favourite to take over from Raducanu and grab the No1 spot for the first time. But Swan, who scored an excellent 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over No1 seed and last year’s Wimbledon semi-finalist Tatjana Maria on Friday, could be No1 if she wins the title and Boulter loses her semi-final.
Swan takes on fellow Brit Miyazaki who beat Isabelle Lacy 6-3, 6-0 – and that contest guarantees at least one home player in Sunday’s final.
Bristol’s Swan, 24, ranked 150, said: “For there to be three British women in the semi-finals is an amazing week for us.
“We all love playing on the grass and everyone was really motivated coming into this tournament. So many of us can win these tournaments and it is just who pulls it together.
“But to have three of the last four is a great start to the grass season and I do believe there will be some big results for all of us over the next few weeks.
“It felt great to get through that one against Tatjana. It was such a tough match, she has such a tricky game style to play against with all the slices, and I had to be really patient and trust myself.
“It gives me a lot of confidence. I was feeling really good coming here this week anyway and felt I could do something. Tatjana made the semi-finals of Wimbledon last year. So I think that shows the level I can play.”
World No154 Boulter said: “Having three of us in the semi-finals here tells us that the depth in British tennis is getting better and we are getting stronger.
“I hope we can keep doing this because the talent is all there to get the results we need.
“Emma [Raducanu’s] story is an absolute fairy-tale and we all believe it and hope that is going to be us. But the reality of tennis is week in and week out. It’s not a sprint, but a marathon.
“You have to keep reminding yourself of that, and keep working hard and keep your head down – and ultimately you will get there in the end.
“It is a privilege for whoever is British No1. I am not that currently, and I’ll keep working hard – but it would be a privilege if I ever got it.”
