VICTORY against Milos Raonic today would see Andy Murray become the first player in the illustrious 126-year history of the Queen's Club tournament to win the title five times. It is worth spelling that out, because some would have you believe that it is his coach Ivan Lendl who will be going out there with John McEnroe - one of the tournament's exalted list of four-time winners - on the other side of the net. For all the obsession about the superstar coaches in their respective corners, Murray finds all that celebrity stuff about as much fun as the shortlived internet sensation when he cut a strand of hair between games at the ATP Tour finals last December.
"To me, I don't find it that interesting to be honest, because I'm playing Milos tomorrow, I'm not playing John," said the Scot, after his 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 semi-final victory against Marin Cilic. "Ivan is not on my side of the court. Obviously the coaches are there in the box, and they are doing their best to help us. But they can't serve for us at an important moment and they can't hit a return for us on break point. The only people that are there on the court are me and Milos. It's up to us how we perform."
As far as the meeting with Raonic goes - the Canadian ran out a 6-4, 6-4 winner against Australia's Bernard Tomic - Murray has won five of their eight meetings, including each of the last four. Included is an epic five-set victory in this year's Australian Open semi-final, and a rout on the clay at Monte Carlo this year, where the Canadian was permitted just two games. "Obviously serve is the biggest strength in his game," said the World No 2. "If I get any chances, it's important to take them, because there's not going to be too many."
The two men even practised together at the start of the tournament. "It's a nice talking point for you guys," said Raonic, on the subject of McEnroe v Lendl by proxy. "But I don't think anybody else is really going to discuss it too much in the locker room. One day we practised together. John said 'well, that could be a possible final'. Was he predicting something? I don't know. But nobody gave him a magic ball."
The only odd thing about a Murray win at Queen's this year would be the fact it would fall on an even-numbered year. The Scot's previous victories have come in 2009, 2011, 2013 and last year, but Cilic - who had his own superstar coach, Goran Ivanisevic, lounging around in his players' box - also had the honour of being a former winner at this venue. The Croatian took the title in 2012, although his path was eased a little by the fact his final opponent David Nalbandian was disqualified when a set up after kicking an advertising hoarding into a line judge's leg.
Its main objective may be as a warm-up for Wimbledon, but this tournament is older than both the Australian Open and Roland Garros and it will mean a lot to Murray if he can be crowned the king of this court today. The Scot's first-ever ATP tour points came with wins against Santiago Ventura and Taylor Dent of the USA at this venue back in 2005 and he comes back here often to use these courts, which were previously the home of the LTA.
"This is obviously where I won my first match, which I remember well," he said. "Since then it's been one of the tournaments where I played really my best tennis, my most successful event. I always look forward to coming back and I have actually spent more time the last few years practicing here. A lot of great players have played here over the years, and winning any tournament a few times is hard obviously. It would be nice to get a fifth title, for sure. It would mean a lot."
Lendl might not be easily impressed but most observers would have found much to admire about the Scot's performance, not least the accuracy of his own serve, such a crucial weapon in grass court play. He got 72% of his first deliveries in play, and won 80% of the points when he did, including 14 aces. He was hitting his forehand cleanly all day, wreaking particular havoc with some sharp cross court angles.
One of those periodic lulls in his play, though, arrived during the second set, perhaps due to Murray's exasperation at using up all three of his challenges when the score still stood at 1-1. Much as it had during his quarter final win against Kyle Edmund, that focus had soon returned with a vengeance.
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