I didn’t want to ‘carry’ Andy Murray at Wimbledon, jokes Nick Kyrgios

Nick Kyrgios has ruled out playing doubles with Andy Murray at Wimbledon.
Andy Murray during a practice session at Queen's Club. Picture: Adrian Dennis/AFP/GettyAndy Murray during a practice session at Queen's Club. Picture: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty
Andy Murray during a practice session at Queen's Club. Picture: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty

The Australian, a good friend of Murray’s off the court, revealed he did discuss the prospect of teaming up with the Scot, who has yet to secure a partner for the All England Club. But Murray, competing in doubles as he attempts to resume his career following hip surgery, will have to look elsewhere.

“It’s just good to see him back but I don’t think I want to carry him for Wimbledon dubs – I think he can find someone else to do that for him,” Kyrgios said with a smile.

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“When I hit with him in Wimbledon a couple of weeks ago we spoke about it. But it’s best-of-five sets, which is tough.

“I don’t know if my body… if I happen to go deep at Wimbledon, it’s too tough to play doubles as well.”

Murray, meanwhile, was out on the Queen’s Club practice courts at lunchtime, working on doubles drills alongside Croatian Ivan Dodig.

The 32-year-old looked to be moving cleanly and striking the ball well as the duo hit with Bruno Soares and Mate Pavic.

Murray and partner Feliciano Lopez play the top seeds Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah of Colombia in the first round, in what will be the two-time Wimbledon champion’s first competitive match since the Australian Open in January.

“He’s still hitting the ball unbelievable. I think he’s well good enough to do damage in any doubles, especially this week with Feliciano,” added Kyrgios. “I’d almost pay to watch that match. They’re going to be tough to beat.”

In the Queen’s Club singles, Cameron Norrie pushed last year’s Wimbledon runner-up Kevin Anderson hard before bowing out in the first round of the Fever-Tree Championships.

The British No 2 broke serve in the opening game and took the first set against the South African, who was playing for the first time since recovering from the elbow problem which forced him to miss the entire clay-court season.

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Anderson took the second in a tie-break and a solitary break in the decider gave the world No 8 a 4-6 7-6 (5) 6-4 win.

Reigning champion Marin Cilic of Croatia beat Chilean Cristian Garin 6-1 7-6 (5) and Russian fourth seed Daniil Medvedev knocked out Spain’s Fernando Verdasco 6-2 6-4.

Johanna Konta, meanwhile, impressed in her first match since reaching the French Open semi-finals to ease into the second round of the Nature Valley Classic in Birmingham.

The British No 1 made a seamless transition from clay to grass, beating big-hitting Estonian Anett Kontaveit 6-4 6-2.

Kontaveit is only ranked two places lower than world No 18 Konta but the seventh seed played at a high level throughout and wrapped up victory in an hour and 12 minutes.

The only blip came when she dropped serve at 4-3 in the opening set but she reestablished her advantage straight away and the second set was particularly impressive, with Konta displaying her more rounded game to great effect.

There was disappointment, though, for British No 2 Heather Watson, who let a lead slip in a 3-6 6-3 6-4 defeat by Barbora Strycova. Watson was unhappy with a number of line calls and declined to shake the umpire’s hand at the end.

Russia’s Margarita Gasparyan pulled off an upset by defeating fourth seed Elina Svitolina 6-3 3-6 6-4.

Svitolina had been struggling with a knee injury and, despite ending a four-match losing streak by reaching the third round of the French Open, she admitted she may be forced to skip the grass.