I hope Murray’s back isn’t better, says opponent
FOURTH seed Andy Murray is not the only man at the Australian Open aiming to return to top form after a debilitating back injury.
In fact, his opponent for this morning’s second-round match, Frenchman Vincent Millot, also spent much of the second half of last year nursing such an ailment.
Tennis similarities between the Wimbledon champion and the world No267 end there, however, and Millot admits he faces “the biggest match” of his career.
“Just after Roland Garros I broke a bone in my back and I had four months out. I felt a little pain during the last round of qualification but it’s getting better. I hope his is not better,” he said.
“I’ll try to be relaxed and we’ll see what happens. I’m going to try to have the maximum fun that I can have and try to beat him.”
Murray, who has played just three competitive matches since back surgery in September, has one significant physical advantage over Millot.
While the Scot raced through his first-round encounter with Go Soeda in 87 minutes on Tuesday, Millot endured a brutal five-set contest with South Africa-born American Wayne Odesnik in temperatures that caused players and ball boys to faint.