Little-known mixed doubles players Evan Hoyt and Eden Silva are two of the last three British players remaining in any discipline at Wimbledon with five days remaining in the tournament. None other than Andy Murray is the third.
Also playing mixed doubles after losing in the men’s competition with Pierre-Hugues Herbert, Murray teamed back up with Serena Williams and they won their their-round match against Fabrice Martin and Raquel Atawo 7-5, 6-3 on Tuesday.
“It’s been fun being on the court with Serena so far,” said the 32-year-old Scot, who all but announced his retirement from tennis at this year’s Australian Open before opting for career-saving hip surgery. “We’ve played some good stuff…. When I get on the court, I’m competitive; like, I want to do well. I want to play well, obviously try to win. I don’t feel like that’s changed. I didn’t feel like I lost that.”
The British crowd will especially want Murray to win, because he is basically their last hope at Wimbledon in 2019.
Johanna Konta was among the home hopefuls heading into the singles quarterfinals, but she crashed out to Barbora Strycova 7-6(5), 6-1. Konta, a semifinalist at the French Open, saw her most recent hopes for a first major title come to an end after one hour and 37 minutes against Strycova.
“I guess what happened is that I have an opponent on the other side of the court who has everything to say in how the match goes, as well,” the world No. 18 said of squandering a 4-1 lead in the opening set. “I think she was playing very well. I think I couldn’t quite find the level that I needed to make it difficult and challenging for the kind of player she is. She’s a very difficult player to play on this surface, and in general.”
In typical fashion, however, the British media was eager to point out everything Konta didn’t do rather than what Strycova did.
“Looking at numbers, 33 unforced errors,” one reporter chastised. “Then you had a smash at the net which you hit straight to her, then towards the end of the third set you had a double-fault, then missed a drive volley. Do you not have to look at yourself a little bit about how you cope with these big points? It’s all very well saying it’s a lot to do with your opponent, but there were key points when you perhaps could have done better.”
“Is that in your professional tennis opinion?,” Konta asked.
“No, that’s just as a watching spectator with everyone else on Centre Court willing you on. And the numbers are IBM’s.”
“Okay. I mean, I don’t think you need to pick on me in a harsh way. I mean, I think I’m very open with you guys. I say how I feel out there. If you don’t want to accept that answer or you don’t agree with it, that’s fine. I still believe in the tennis that I play. I still believe in the way I competed. Yeah, I don’t have much else to say to your question.”
“I’m just asking you as somebody who presumably wants to go on from here, learn from this, win a Grand Slam one day. Is it not something….”
“Please don’t patronize me.”
“I’m not patronizing you.”
“No, no, you are. In the way you’re asking your question, you’re being quite disrespectful and you’re patronizing me. I’m a professional competitor who did her best today, and that’s all there is to that.”
And that’s all there is to Konta’s tournament, leaving the host nation’s lonely eyes turning to Murray.
Just like old times.
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never loved Serena, but this partnership rules