Wimbledon: New shorts for Andy Murray

Jul 2 2012 By Colin Mackenzie

Andy Murray will be wearing newly designed Adidas shorts when he steps onto Court No One for his fourth round match with Marin Cilic today.
 
Late on Saturday evening his other pair caused the ball in his pocket to be dislodged three times during rallies, costing him two vital points during his four set victory over Marcus Bagdhatis.

Like his Cypriot opponent Murray will now wear the Barricade Bermuda shorts in which the pockets are deeper and machine finished. To date, since he established his £3 million a year deal with German company Adidas in 2009, he has worn the brand's Barricade Short which is hand made.

More of a threat to his match which is second on Court One is the prospect of rain. His match late on Saturday was saved by the Centre Court's roof which allowed play to continue until just after the 11pm deadline. However, had he not finished the fourth set so quickly by 6-1, he would have had to stop and complete his match today.

Having dispatched one tall Croat in Ivo Karlovic Murray now faces another in the 6ft 6ins Cilic. But Murray has a five one career win record against the 23-year-old Croat, losing only in the 2009 US Open. However Cilic, two years younger than Murray, has a good Grand Slam record, losing only to eventual winner Juan Martin del Potro in the 2009 US Open quarter finals and getting to the Australian semi finals in 2010.
Against that Cilic had a five an half hour marathon victory over big serving American Sam Querrey late on Saturday, eventually winning the fifth set 17-15. It was the second longest match ever at Wimbledon behind the epic 11 hour match in 2010 won by John Isner against Nicolas Mahut.

Cilic said; "I don't feel any soreness in my muscles or anything. I have to go into the match (with Murray) with a positive feeling that if I do things right - if I do what I am planning to do in the match - of course going for it it will be OK. You cannot go into a match thinking something negative."

Murray, whose form showed a marked dip in the second and third sets against Baghdatis (he was 4-2 down in the third set before rallying to win it 7-5), will not have his favoured Centre Court pitch or its roof to assist him today. He will be battling the elements as well as his Croat opponent.

He said; "Cilic played a 17-15 final set on Saturday and I'm sure he would have wished that I had to play three sets on Monday before playing against him. Hopefully I'll be a bit fresher. I've had some tough matches against him. He came into our match in Australia after a couple of long five setters as well and started the match really well. I had lots of physio today (Sunday) and I feel fine."

Although Rafa Nadal no longer poses a threat in Murray's half of the draw he is not looking beyond his immediate opponent. Should be beat Cilic he faces the winner of Del Potro and David Ferrer who are both in awesome form with a probable semi final against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga who is more at home on grass than most of his French colleagues.

Court One will be the ticket today for most Brits as, apart from the Murray match, they will get the chance to see Maria Sharapova playing talented German Sabine Lisicki with the Del Potro/Ferrer match as the third offering. Centre Court patrons will see Roger Federer progress serenely against Xavier Malisse, with Anna Ivanovic taking on Victoria Azarenka and Novak Djokovic playing fellow Serb Victor Troicki.

Serena Williams, who looks overweight and unfit, could be vulnerable out on her least favourite Court (No Two) to the talented player from Kazakstan Yaroslava Shvedova. Last year's Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova should progress with ease against Italian veteran Francesca Schiavone who has been nursing a bad back.