Wimbledon day four: Murray brothers ready to join forces after Brits bonanza

by Admin
July 4, 2024

Andy Murray will take to the court after Britain’s next generation have battled for supremacy on a highly anticipated day at Wimbledon.

Murray and his brother Jamie start their doubles campaign in what promises to be an emotional evening on Centre Court.

Before that, Britain’s top-two ranked singles players in both the men’s and women’s game go head-to-head for a place in the third round while debutant Jacob Fearnley will meet seven-time champion Novak Djokovic.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at what is in store on a packed day four.

Match of the day

The Murray brothers headline day four (John Walton/PA)

Doubles usually keeps a low profile during the first week of Wimbledon, but on Thursday it takes the main-event slot.

Andy Murray, in what he says is his final Wimbledon campaign, teams up with brother Jamie Murray at a grand slam for the first time.

The pair won every Davis Cup doubles match they played together, including the quarter-final, semi-final and final of Great Britain’s memorable success in 2015.

They will be up against it in their clash with Australian duo Rinky Hijikata and John Peers, but the pair can expect to be backed by a frenzied Centre Court crowd as Andy’s Wimbledon career winds down.

Battle of the Brits part one

A graphic comparing statistics from Katie Boulter and Harriet Dart — (PA Graphics)

Britain’s number one takes on Britain’s number two as Katie Boulter meets Harriet Dart in the opening match on Court One.

This is the pair’s fourth meeting in the last two years, with Boulter winning the previous three – two of them coming on grass in Nottingham.

Dart’s only victory over her rival came six years ago in Japan but Boulter expects Thursday’s clash to be a big challenge.

She said: “Playing a Brit in the UK on the grass is never an easy draw and I’m expecting an absolute battle. I think we both know each other’s games inside-out, back-to-front at this point. We’ve played so many matches.”

Battle of the Brits part two

A graphic comparing records of Jack Draper and Cameron Norrie — (PA Graphics)

Following that match, it is the men’s turn as Jack Draper, the British number one, faces the man he replaced at the top of the country’s rankings last month – Cameron Norrie.

Draper has never reached the third round in his two previous appearances at his home grand slam while Norrie was a semi-finalist in 2022 but came into this year’s tournament out of form.

The pair get on well together but Draper says Norrie “won’t like the fact that I’m number one”, while the British number two – who has won both of the meetings between them – has piled the pressure on his younger opponent by labelling him the favourite.