Andy Murray 'disappointed' at Gulbis claims

Thursday, 25 June 2009

Andy Murray is "disappointed" over hints from his Wimbledon second-round opponent Ernests Gulbis that he bent the rules to his advantage in one of their previous matches.

Latvian Gulbis, up against the British number one on Centre Court today, recalls a meeting at Queen's Club last year when he believes Murray took a medical 'time-out' for no other reason than to slow up the match.

Murray acknowledges some players do occasionally use such dubious tactics but insists he is one of the good guys who do not.

"I did have to withdraw from the next round the following day, so that's very disappointing to hear," said the Scot.

"I never once used any of the rules that certain players have used to try to gain an upper hand in a match or to slow my opponent down or anything.

"When I played him at Queen's that was not the case. I didn't realise there was a problem. I woke up and I couldn't grip the racket the following day."

Gulbis yesterday made it clear he saw things differently.

"In the third set, he took a medical time-out when it was five-all," he remembered.

"Actually he had nothing (wrong with him). He just broke my rhythm, and I wasn't an experienced enough player to deal with that at the time."

Murray refutes Gulbis' version of events.

"There are so many things in matches where guys take toilet breaks, injury time-outs, delay you sometimes when you are trying to serve, and take a little longer in between the points than they are meant to. It happens all the time," he concedes.

"I have never done it - it's not part of the sport. It's a form of cheating - it's bending the rules to gain an advantage.

"It does go on. Certain players do it, and certain players don't. I'm one of the guys who doesn't do it."

Player of the Month

Columnist Comments

james_lawton

Blame for this awful mess lies squarely with Capello

Unusually for Fabio Capello, a man who owns some highly valued pieces of art but is not given to too many flights of poetic fancy, he once said that he had a dream. It was right at the start of his England reign and it was that he would lead his team into the final of the World Cup in Johannesburg.

The World's 10 Sexiest Women

The World's 10 Sexiest Women

Columnist Comments

In Pictures: Funny Football Chants

In Pictures: Funny Football Chants

When fans display lyrical genius on the terraces

NiteLife: White's Tavern

Had a big night out? Click here to send your pics

In Pictures: Rugby through the years

In Pictures: Rugby through the years

A look back at the local archives

TeleToons

Teletoons gallery by Stevie Lee

 

Belfast Telegraph Home Delivery