JAMIE Murray was feeling tender enough yesterday for his doubles partner Bruno Soares to think better of poking fun at his expense. While Jamie, his father Willie and coach Alan McDonald all took the tube to Wembley to watch Scotland's latest tale of woe against the Auld Enemy on Friday night, the Brazilian stayed in the warmth of his hotel room, watching that nation's Samba superstars winning by the same 3-0 scoreline against their historic rivals, Argentina. Scotland and Brazil are countries which are bonded by their obsession with football but that is where the similarity ends. "I don't like to talk to Jamie about that!" said Soares. "It gets him down a little bit."
Gordon Strachan said during the week that he wouldn't presume to tell Scotland's superstar tennis family about their drop shots, so perhaps it is appropriate that Jamie Murray wasn't calling for the head of the Scotland manager on a platter yesterday either. Rather than ask for the manager's resignation, Jamie wearily noticed the resignation on the faces of the Scotland support as this group of players were unable to rise above. How Scottish football could do with unearthing a couple of world class talents like the Murrays.
"I don't see how anyone can get more out of the players than what he [Strachan] has just now," said Jamie. "You get the feeling he works as best he can with the players that he's got but there's some guys playing in that team they don't play regularly for their clubs. So it's not easy to step into that environment. I guess it depends on him, his motivation, if he thinks he can get the team moving forward.
"I got noticed a little bit," he added. "But everyone's walking the same direction. And I had this hat on so I was alright. It's a shame because when we were walking back the fans were great but you could see in a way they expected it. It wasn't like they were angry or frustrated, it was just kind of 'that's it, that's what happens'."
Thankfully these two siblings from Scotland have never been prepared to settle for second best. If the grand narrative of this week's ATP World Tour finals is his brother Andy attempting to keep hold of the World No 1 spot in the wake of an expected onslaught from Novak Djokovic, the sub plot is Jamie - World No 1 himself back in April - and Soares' bid to double up as the world's pre-eminent doubles duo.
For the record, it is impossible for Jamie, currently World No 4, to reclaim his individual No 1 doubles spot by year-end, as Soares would go top before he does, and in any case Nicolas Mahut requires just one group win to get the position sewn up. Indeed, reaching the final will be enough for Mahut and his partner Pierre Hugues-Herbert to finish the year at the world's top duo, regardless of what Murray and Soares achieve.
Nonetheless, Jamie was at home in Wimbledon when his mum Judy passed on the news that Milos Raonic was set to withdraw from their semi-final in Paris, allowing his younger brother to follow him as World No 1 for the first time. "It was great that he ended up winning the tournament and doing it emphatically," said Jamie, whose campaign starts with a meeting with Treat Huey of the Philippines and Max Mirnyi of Belarus today. "It’s such a unique thing to do [both brothers reach No 1 in the same year]. It’s been a great year for both of us, we’ve been able to do a lot of great things on the tennis court. Hopefully it continues and we are able to stay at the top of the game, competing for the big titles. I know that’s what I want to do and I’m sure he is in the same boat."
Doubles is given joint billing at this event, and largely lives up to it, even if Jamie feels the quicker court at the o2 this year might result in less crowd-pleasing matches. His stellar year - including Australian Open and US Open victory - essentially started here 12 months back, when he and his Aussie partner John Peers missed out on being World No 1, having already agreed to go their separate ways. "It wasn't really [awkward]," said Jamie. "We had made the decision. It was still a positive experience but hopefully myself and Bruno can do better this year."
Barclays ATP World Tour Finals - Sunday November 13, 2016
Matches start: 12 noon. Bob Bryan (USA) and Mike Bryan (USA) [3] v Ivan Dodig (CRO) and Marcelo Melo (BRA) [6]
Not before: 2pm. Novak Djokovic (SRB) [2] v Dominic Thiem (AUT) [8]
Not before: 6pm. Jamie Murray (GBR) and Bruno Soares (BRA) [2] v Treat Huey (PHI) and Max Mirnyi (BLR) [8]
Not before: 8pm. Milos Raonic (CAN) v Gael Monfils (FRA) [6]
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