Serena Williams raises possibility of partnering Murray in mixed doubles
Saturday 29 June 2019 19:00, UK
Andy Murray believes doubles matches at Wimbledon should be shortened to help encourage more singles players to play.
The former world No 1 will make his return to Grand Slam tennis in the doubles as he continues his comeback to competitive action following a hip resurfacing operation in January.
Murray, who is partnering Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert, will provide a heightened interest in the doubles, which is played over best of five sets - like in the men's singles - rather than best of three at the other Grand Slams.
The three-time Grand Slam champion concedes under the current format it would be unreasonable for the leading singles players to also feature in the doubles at the grass-court major.
"Beforehand you had a lot more of the top singles players that were playing the doubles. Like when (John) McEnroe was playing, around that time.
"A lot of the top doubles teams, they were pretty well known, like the Woodies (Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde) and stuff. I grew up kind of watching quite a bit of doubles myself, too.
"I think when the top singles players are involved in the doubles, it does draw a little bit more attention to it. That's something that I think will be a positive thing for tennis, if more guys were playing doubles.
"But here it's difficult because of the format, the best-of-five sets. For me, even though I'm playing doubles here, it's even a consideration if I'm going to play mixed, as well. I would never expect a top singles player to enter the doubles here because playing potentially 10 sets in one day is just too much.
"That's something that maybe would be worth looking at, to give more value to the doubles event, to get more of the top singles players playing, is to reduce the length of the matches a bit."
Murray remains without a partner in the mixed doubles, having been turned down by world No 1 Ashleigh Barty and France's Kristina Mladenovic, but Serena Williams, who is going for her 24th Grand Slam singles title, indicated she was open to a collaboration.
"Obviously she's arguably the best player ever," Murray said. "It would be a pretty solid partner."
But 37-year-old Williams, who has been battling knee problems, went coy after she was pressed further.
"I'm available. I'm feeling better now, so I'm definitely available," she said. "I mean, we just have to wait and see. I like to be tongue-in-cheek.
"Let's see how my knee's going. I'm finally doing good. I don't want to, like, go back."
Murray, who will not begin his Wimbledon campaign until Wednesday at the earliest, says he is not putting himself under any added expectations, despite having won at Queen's Club alongside Feliciano Lopez in his comeback event.
"That's probably one of the things that I will try to make sure doesn't change over the next few years," he said.
"I think a lot of that stuff kind of comes out from other people. I'm just happy to be playing tennis again really.
"I would like to do well when I get on the court. I play to win. I'm really competitive. But four or five weeks ago I didn't know if I'd even be playing over the grass. I shouldn't be expecting too much."
