Murray eases into Wimbledon third round

But Murray, 29, shrugged off the suggestion, joking: “The bookies don’t always get it right”. They made a few mistakes over the last few weeks across a number of different things. “If you can win matches easily it does help, you get more rest and mentally the days aren’t so draining”.

World number two Murray is the only Briton remaining in the singles draw.

Having the spotlight lifted a little off him is surely welcome, but Murray said: ” I don’t think it changes anything in my mind really. “I have never been one to go out with an intimidated mindset before I play the game”.

The match was delayed by rain, and during the break as the roof was being closed on Centre Court David Beckham joined in a Mexican wave from the Royal Box.

“The first set, you know, was a tough set”.

World Cup winners Sir Bobby Charlton, Sir Geoff Hurst and Gordon Banks were among a host of sports stars who were guests at Centre Court for the tournament’s middle Saturday.

It continued into the second set, as Murray – looking to become the first person to win the Queens’ title 5 times, faced defeat at 4-1 down.

The 29-year-old Scot, who plays his Wimbledon third round match against Australian John Millman on Saturday, does not want to suffer the sort of abuse to which Heather Watson referred after her first-round defeat on Thursday. Once I got that, got an early break in the second, I started to settle down, played better tennis. “That’s natural. That’s what everyone does”. I train there. You’re just familiar with the surroundings so much more.

He fired down 23 winners, broke serve five times and dropped just 11 points on his own serve, wrapping up another straight sets win in one hour and 40 minutes. At the second time of asking he made no mistake.

However, Murray again broke back in the following game before serving out the set to take a stranglehold on proceedings.

Expectations for Djokovic to continue winning every match were unrealistic, Murray said. “It has been a long few months for me already”. I came off the court and I said to Danny Vallverdu, who I was working with, ‘He’s top 50 for sure if he keeps going’. That’s what my target is.

Raonic has been working with John McEnroe since the grass-court season started. But I’m not basing my decision on Novak. I did the opening ceremony and I was hanging out with a lot of the other athletes, stayed in the village. “If I’m physically fit, I’ll be there”.

“Rather than it being a surprise, it should really be nearly celebrated now, what he’s actually done”.

Ninth seed Marin Cilic of Croatia, who reached the quarter-finals after Japan’s Kei Nishikori pulled out due to injury, speaking about his prospects after world number one Novak Djokovic’s third-round exit against American Sam Querrey.

Like Murray, Millman will be representing his country at the Rio Olympics thanks to the unavailability of Nick Kyrgios and Bernie Tomic, and that is reward for popular Australian’s fight back from a period out of tennis.