Game, fret and match for Murray's girl

Published on Wednesday 2 September 2009 22:02

OUT of her seat and looking anxiously on to court, Kim Sears was every bit the worried girlfriend yesterday as she watched Andy Murray crash to the ground in his first-round US Open match.

Like thousands of tennis fans watching every nailbiting minute of Murray's progress at Flushing Meadows, Ms Sears must have feared the worst as he was sent sprawling along the hardcourt surface in the final grand slam of 2009.

Even though the match against Ernests Gulbis was relatively comfortable for the British number one – he won 7-5, 6-3, 7-5 – he refused to ease up and fell to the floor after making a dash to retrieve a difficult half-volley.

For a second, as Murray winced in pain, Ms Sears must have thought his hopes of winning an elusive Grand Slam had been dashed. The Scot's supporters knew even the slightest injury could hamper his chances of victory.

Our pictures depict a nervy Ms Sears at the 23,000-capacity Arthur Ashe Stadium experiencing the agony of watching from the sidelines as a loved one pursues his dream of glory.

But seeking to become the first British player to win a Grand Slam tournament since 1936, 22-year-old Murray blithely dismissed the fall, saying: "Just a few bruises. Maybe it will hurt in the morning for a little bit, but I don't think it did any damage."

Cary Cooper, professor of psychology at Lancaster University, said loved ones could suffer extreme stress simply because they had no control over events.

"The most difficult thing in life which causes people stress is not having control … and having the feeling of uncertainty," he said. "For the loved one sitting on the sidelines, it is much more of a problem.

He is in charge of the situation, she is not."

Murray had been given the primetime slot for American television with a night match and he went into the game against the Latvian, ranked 95 in the world, eager to live up to his top billing.

Tipped by former Wimbledon champion John McEnroe to win the Open, Murray moved a step closer to joining an elite band, including Roger Federer and Pete Sampras, to taste victory in a Grand Slam. He lost to Federer in last year's final.

But it is not the first time Murray has had friends and family on tenterhooks with the prospect of a major injury. He missed two other Grand Slams in 2007 – the French Open and Wimbledon – because of damage sustained to tendons in his right wrist.

With only four Grand Slams in a season – the French Open, Wimbledon, the US Open and the Australian Open – Murray can ill afford another injury.

Treena Shaw, physiotherapy manager at Fasic – Edinburgh University's Fitness Assessment and Sports Injuries Centre – said

: "By the time an athlete gets to Murray's stage, they know where their weaknesses are.

"He will be finely tuned to avoid injuries with strength and conditioning. But if it's an acute injury like a fall, there is nothing they can do about it.

"A small trip or acute injury can be the difference between sporting greatness and being knocked out."