Andy Murray handed earliest Wimbledon start for SIX YEARS as chiefs bow to Brit’s sweet request
ANDY MURRAY has been handed his earliest Wimbledon start for SIX YEARS after Wimbledon bosses listened to his scheduling plea.
Muzza, 36, said on the eve of his 15th Wimbledon appearance that he usually gets given “the late shift” – and for once he would prefer an early start time.
That call was accepted and on Tuesday the two-time champion will play Essex lad Ryan Peniston second up on Centre Court – immediately after Kazakhstani defending champion Elena Rybakina has faced American Shelby Rogers.
It means that two of four children who are over the age of five years old can now watch him from the stands.
And more crucially, he should be back home at his Surrey mansion well before the kids’ 9pm bedtime slot.
Murray or his team would have made representation to tournament director Jamie Baker about his match preference – also because he dislikes having to pause at night time for the roof to close.
In his five previous matches since career-saving hip surgery in January 2019, the Scot had been given the twilight/evening tie on the main arena — with the earliest one starting at 6pm.
Indeed, you have to go back to his quarter-final defeat to American Sam Querrey in 2017 for the last time he played in singles combat at lunchtime.
Sally Bolton, the CEO of the All England Club, said: “Scheduling is one of those subjects that we all spend lots of time talking and thinking about. It is always challenging to try and fit all of the pieces of the jigsaw together.
“We think very long and hard about it and there are a lot of factors that go into it. There is always a balance to be struck.
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“Andy is, of course, a hugely popular figure. So the ability to show him at primetime in the UK is one that is obviously hugely appealing.
“We take on-board all of the feedback on scheduling and try our very best to keep everybody as happy as we can.”
Murray will also be cheered by leading Novak Djokovic 6-2 2-1 in a practice match until it was halted.
There are eight Brits in action on day two though the forecast is not ideal with thunderstorms predicted.
Wildcard Arthur Fery plays No.3 seed Daniil Medvedev while debutant George Loffhagen, a former pub worker, is up against Dane Holger Rune.
British No.1 Cameron Norrie (versus Tomas Machac) and Katie Boulter (versus Daria Saville) open their campaigns.
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