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Ivan Lendl is a great person to have on the team when expectations start to build around me because he’s been through the same experience himself.
The year I won Wimbledon, I was seeded to meet Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarter-finals and Roger Federer or Rafa Nadal in the semi-finals, but they all went out early.
I remember that made it hard in terms of everyone focusing on me from early in the tournament and I spoke with Ivan about it at the time, because it’s an extra thing to deal with.
The difference between this year and 2013 is those players were all in my section of the draw, and so their losses had quite a direct effect, whereas Novak Djokovic losing on Saturday won’t have any bearing on me at all unless I reach the final.
I couldn’t help but notice the noise from the crowd when Novak’s score flashed up on the Centre Court scoreboard, but I only thought about it for a few seconds. It doesn’t guarantee anything.
The players left in my section of the draw are still formidable.
You’ve got Nick Kyrgios, who’s beaten Rafa on Centre Court before; Feli Lopez, who’s a very good grass-courter; Tsonga is one of the best grass-court players in the world; not many players want to play John Isner; Richard Gasquet’s still in there and he made the semis last year.
There are some pretty decent players left in my way, so I’m not getting carried away.
I don’t have a weather app on my phone but a couple of the guys in my team do, and it’s fair to say they’ve been checking them pretty regularly over the past week.
A British summer like this one can be a nightmare for spectators, organisers and players.
We tend to speak to the tour managers regularly on days when there is rain around to find out what the plan is, when the matches will start and what the outlook is, because they often have the best forecasts.
Some players are pushier than others about constantly trying to get updates – I personally don’t.
The coaches will sometimes try to get a heads up to find out what time you’re going to play, but I tend to talk to the guys on my team.
It can be tricky when the schedule doesn’t come out until late because if you’re scheduled to play at 11am, for example, you might want to go to bed at 10.30pm as you’re getting up early.
When you get your schedule you have to plan out your day – what time you get up, what you’re going to eat, when you’re going to practise and then chat about the match with your team.
I went on at 2.30pm on Saturday, so for me it wasn’t much of an issue.
I got a message past 10pm the night before saying I was second on Centre Court, so we just had a group chat where everyone messaged each other, made a plan and then spoke about the match the following morning.
You can make requests around when and where you play – I normally have one match on court one each year, so this time I asked to play there in the second round, but obviously it’s up to the organisers to decide.
It’s obviously an advantage to play on Centre Court at Wimbledon because the roof means you know your match is going to get finished, whatever the weather.
I personally prefer playing outdoors, but on a rainy day like Saturday I’m in a position where I got through to the fourth round and don’t have to worry about coming back and finishing.
That will be the case for my next opponent, with Nick and Feli unable to finish on Saturday, and mentally that can be tiring.
I experienced it at the French Open against Radek Stepanek when I was two sets down and had to finish the next day. It was a stressful situation – but more mentally than physically taxing.
Whichever of them gets through, I’m sure they will be physically fine and in confident mood for our match on Monday.
Andy Murray was talking to BBC Sport’s Piers Newbery.
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The four-time titlist makes the fourth round at a Grand Slam for the first time
Before Saturday, Nicolas Mahut’s 17-year career had seen him win four ATP World Tour singles titles – all on grass – and 15 tour-level doubles titles, including three consecutive ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments earlier this season.
He and doubles partner Pierre-Hugues Herbert, a fellow Frenchman, also have enjoyed success at Grand Slams, winning the 2015 US Open. But before Saturday, Mahut had never reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam championship in singles. The 34 year old had reached the third round of a Grand Slam four previous times – 2006 Wimbledon (l. to Federer), 2012 Australian Open (l. to Djokovic), 2012 and 2015 Roland Garros (l. to Federer; l. to Simon).
On Saturday, his luck changed but it came at his partner’s expense: Mahut moved into the fourth round with a 7-6(5), 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win over Herbert, who also was bidding to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam championship for the first time in singles.
Both players sought to use their serve-and-volley skills that have been honed through hundreds of doubles matches. Mahut, No. 51 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, approached the net 44 times, winning almost 60 per cent of his chances. Herbert, No. 81 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, was even more aggressive and had more success, winning 67 per cent of his net points (32/48).
The 25-year-old Herbert likely will have more chances to reach the latter stages of a Grand Slam. This fortnight marked his third Wimbledon and his seventh Grand Slam championship as a singles player. Mahut, on the other hand, is playing in his 10th Wimbledon and his 42nd Grand Slam championship as a singles player.
He’ll next face American Sam Querrey, who toppled top seed Novak Djokovic on Saturday 7-6(6), 6-1, 3-6, 7-6(5).
Zverev set to face Berdych on Sunday
Lucas Pouille is a set away from extending his best Grand Slam run and ending Juan Martin del Potro’s comeback tour at The Championships. Pouille, the No. 32 seed, leads their third-round match 6-7(4), 7-6(8), 7-5 after two hours and 25 minutes on Saturday evening, when play was suspended because of darkness.
Both players held serve prior to del Potro snagging the first-set tie-break. The Argentine went up a break in the second, before Pouille broke back to force another tie-break. The 22 year old then broke del Potro at 5-6 to go up two sets to one.
Pouille’s previous best result at a Grand Slam championship was the second round at Roland Garros (2013, 2016). Their match will resume on Sunday, along with five other men’s singles matches. Play on “Middle Sunday” has taken place only three other times in Wimbledon’s 139-year history: 1991, 1997 and 2004.
The winner of the Pouille vs. del Potro match will face 19th seed Bernard Tomic, who swept Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut 6-2, 6-4, 6-4. The Aussie won 69 per cent of his service points and saved all four break points, while breaking Bautista Agut four times. Tomic looks to match his best showing at Wimbledon, a quarter-finals appearance in 2011.
“I knew my game had to be attack from the start, focus on my serve,” Tomic said. “I think I had to play that way. Otherwise I would have played a long match, and it’s something I didn’t want to do… I think today just showed how good I can actually play on grass.”
German Alexander Zverev, a member of the ATP’s Next Generation, outlasted Russian Mikhail Youzhny 6-4, 3-6, 6-0, 4-6, 6-2 to match his best showing at a Grand Slam championship. The 19 year old also reached the third round at Roland Garros earlier this season. On Sunday, Zverev, the 24th seed, will face 10th seed Tomas Berdych, who eased past Benjamin Becker 6-4, 6-1, 6-2.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” said Zverev, who’s lost their three prior FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings. “We always have tough matches.”
Gasquet vs Ramos-Vinolas, Isner vs Gasquet to return Sunday
Sixth seed Milos Raonic will challenge No. 11 seed David Goffin in the fourth round of The Championships on Monday.
Raonic, who advanced to the 2014 Wimbledon semi-finals (l. to Federer), knocked out No. 27 seed Jack Sock 7-6(2), 6-4, 7-6(1) on Saturday in a match that finished at 8:42 p.m. local time.
“I think I created quite a few chances there [on his serve] towards the third set,” said Raonic. “I played way too passive on pretty much all of them. On one of them, he had an incredible forehand cross‑court. I’m happy with the way I was able to get it done in three sets and move on and give myself another challenge looking forward.”
In a close first set, Raonic won four of the first six points in the tie-break and secured a service break in the seventh game of the second set. With his 34th victory of the year in sight, Raonic played a near perfect third-set tie-break to wrap-up the day’s play on Centre Court.
Raonic recorded his eighth straight win in nine FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings over Sock. The Canadian also won their 2014 Wimbledon second-round meeting 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.
Goffin reached the fourth round for the second successive year with a 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 victory over World No. 116 Denis Istomin. It was his 25th match win at the four Grand Slam championships.
“I’m feeling a little bit tired,” said Goffin. “The last two days have been tough with the rain. It’s tough to wait in the locker room. You try to eat, you try to stay calm, and you never know when you’re going to go on court and stuff. It’s tough. But, at the end, I’m really happy to get through to the fourth round for the second time here.”
Elsewhere, seventh seed Richard Gasquet will sleep on a 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-2 lead against Albert Ramos-Vinolas after bad light stopped play at the All England Club. Gasquet’s compatriot, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the No. 12 seed, saved two break points at 5-5 in the third set to prolong his clash with No. 18 seed John Isner to Sunday. Isner led 7-6(3), 6-3, 6-7(5) when play was suspended at 9:20 p.m.
There will be play on the Middle Sunday at Wimbledon for only the fourth time, after 1991, 1997 and 2004. The grass-court major’s seventh day is traditionally a rest day.
The Brit is keeping his head down as he approaches the second week
Second seed Andy Murray avoided the upset bug on Saturday at Wimbledon, but is maintaining his low-key approach in an effort to win a second Wimbledon title.
The Brit dispatched John Millman in straight sets in an entertaining match on Centre Court. Having been stretched to a deciding third set in their only previous meeting in the second-round at Brisbane in 2013, Murray said he knew he had to be at the top of his game to prevail.
“He’s a very fit guy. He has a great attitude. He doesn’t give you many free points, very few unforced errors,” said Murray. “When he gets into a rhythm, he’s tough to play because he makes you work every single point. If you’re making a few errors, not feeling quite so comfortable, he certainly doesn’t give you anything for free.”
Next up for Murray is either No. 15 seed Nick Kyrgios or No. 22 seed Feliciano Lopez. Murray leads his FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry with Lopez 10-0, including a straight-sets victory on grass in the quarter-finals at Wimbledon in 2011. He also leads his FedEx ATP Head2Head rivaly with Kyrgios 4-0, with three of those victories coming last year in Grand Slams. Although Murray hasn’t lost to either player, he said they can’t be underestimated on grass.
Watch: Murray Talks About His Win Over Millman
“They’re quite different players. Feli serves-and-volleys a lot, uses a lot of slice. He’s a lefty [and] comes to the net loads. Plays with a decent amount of spin on his forehand [and] serves very well,” said Murray. “Nick, again, extremely good server. He… is a bit more dangerous probably from the back of the court. He’s improving all the time, likes the big courts and the big matches and has performed well in those situations before. Tricky either way.”
British expectations on Murray have risen even higher after top seed Novak Djokovic suffered a shocking loss to American Sam Querrey on Saturday. But while Murray’s odds of winning the title have increased on paper, he said it’s business as usual for him for now.
“If I were to reach the final, then it may have some bearing, but it doesn’t right now. My draw’s still exactly the same. The matches, in the next round especially, are tough,” said Murray. “The bookies don’t always get it right. Your job is to go out there and try to win the matches that are there in front of you. That’s what I’ll try and do.”