Murray 1 match away from record 5th title at Queen’s Club

Andy Murray has defeated Marin Cilic in the Aegon Championships semi-finals and remain on course to win successive Queen’s titles.

“Yesterday, there was a presentation on the court with (John) McEnroe, (Lleyton) Hewitt, (Roy) Emerson and Boris (Becker, all four-time winners)”.

“Obviously I had very good results with him in the past and I see no reason why that can’t be the same again this time”.

Murray began brightly by breaking at the second attempt before fending off four break points to maintain that lead throughout the opening set en route to a second break which clinched proceedings.

“These are some of the best players of all-time so if I can do better than them, that’s obviously a good sign”. But they can’t serve for us at an important moment and they can’t hit a return for us on break point.

“I’m sure John commentated on many of Andy’s matches when he was working with Ivan”. It’s up to us how we perform when we’re out there. Included is an epic five-set victory in this year’s Australian Open semi-final, and a rout on the clay at Monte Carlo this year, where the Canadian was permitted just two games. “I’ve just got to get consistency now”.

The two men even practised together at the start of the tournament.

The old enemies are on much better terms these days but, given the contrast between the icy Lendl and the emotional McEnroe, there will be plenty of eyes trained on the courtside coaching box at the Wimbledon warm-up event on Sunday.

“It really doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks, it’s not relevant to my work that I do with Ivan and Jamie (Delgado)”, said Murray.

If Murray plays as he did in the final set against Cilic, a former victor at Queen’s who the Scot also beat in the 2013 final, then he will take a lot of beating. The Croatian took the title in 2012, although his path was eased a little by the fact his final opponent David Nalbandian was disqualified when a set up after kicking an advertising hoarding into a line judge’s leg.

They met 36 times from 1980 to 1992, with Lendl winning 21 of their encounters including a famous fightback from two sets down in the 1984 French Open final.

Raonic has played better on paper. I always look forward to coming back and I have actually spent more time the last few years practicing here.

“There have been many great players who played here over the years”, Murray told the BBC.

The 29-year-old admitted claiming a record fifth title certainly offers big motivation ahead of Sunday’s showpiece clash. “It would mean a lot”. What I can do to make the other guy’s current situation on court against me as hard as possible. He got 72% of his first deliveries in play, and won 80% of the points when he did, including 14 aces.