Wimbledon 2008: Andy Murray v Xavier Malisse - As It Happened

Preamble:

Well, thanks to Anne Keothanvong's surprisingly spirited resistance against Venus Williams, we've had to wait a little longer than expected for this.

If Andy Murray can match the vigor of his British counterpart, he shouldn't have too much trouble this afternoon. He may not have hit the heights achieved in the early part of 2007, but he's not lost to a player ranked outside the world's top 100 since his defeat to Fabio Fognini in Canada in August last year. And he's beaten plenty of better players than Malisse so far this season.

That said, Malisse is no chump. The Belgian seems to have been around forever, he's still only 27. A consistent top 50 player throughout his career, his ranking (now 226) only really started tumbling after a wrist injury in the middle of last season. He was as high as 19 in the world rankings back in 2002, reached the Wimbledon semis that year, and has already beaten David Nalbandian and Jarkko Nieminen in 2008. And remember, Murray has played just three four matches on grasss since July 2006.

That said, Malisse's 2002 semi-final (when he lost in five sets to Nalbandian) is one of only two occasions on which he has been passed the second round at the All-England club. In seven visits, that's hardly a fearsome record.

Yeah, I've done my research. But that's all of it.

Anyway, here's Malisse showing Tiger Tim how it's done on the red stuff.

And here's a couple of sensational rallies with Federer

Murray can do chin-ups with a 20kg weight round his neck, apparently. Let's see him do 10 with three stone round his waist, then I'll be impressed.

First set: Murray 0-1 Malisse* Murray begins with a forehand winner down the line, then Malisse sends one long - easy peasy. The Belgian, though, fights back impressively before a belting long rally at 30-all gives Murray a break point. The X-Man - has Murray even got a nickname? - again comes back and holds.

First set: Murray* 1-1 Malisse Murray shows the touch that makes him such an entertaining player to watch, with a fantastic drop shot that has catches Malisse flat-footed. A simple hold.

First set: Murray 1-2 Malisse* Murray charges in to the net for the first time - Malisse responds by flicking a backhand past him. Then ruins his good work with a botched drop shot that makes him look a poor imitation of his opponent. It goes to deuce (again) but (again) Malisse holds.

First set: Murray* 2-2 Malisse Between games Murray swigs from an Evian bottle which appears to contain deep orange Sunny D. Whatever it is, it seems to be working - Murray holds to love.

First set: Murray 3-2 Malisse* Some miserable unforced errors - see Andy Bull's recent game-by-game for a detailed definition - gives Murray two break points. Malisse is tenacious, though, and again fights back to deuce. But Murray won't be denied, and there's a yelp as Malisse puts the final point into the net. "Has he smiled yet?" wonders Jo Lenton. "Murray that is!" He's got his moody-determined face on, with added occasional sucking of teeth.

First set: Murray* 4-2 Malisse Whoa! Feel David Armitage's fury. "Murray is a national embarrassment. He can talk the game, but little else than at least say 10 French players have done. Have you beem watching the Nadal/Gulbis game? Not a Latvian flag in sight. He's giving Nadal a good run for his money. I know he lost to Murray at Eastbourne. When truculence plays courtesy, who do you want to win? No histrionics, just very good tennis, and no questioning of the Almighty when the ball goes out," he rages, before adding, "Why on earth do you regard Murray as national treasure?" as if I've bestowed the honour upon him personally. Murray holds with very little fuss.

First set: Murray 4-3 Malisse* Another cracking backhand/drop-shot combo gives Murray an early advantage, but the Belgian has already served notice that he's tough to shake off. Another hold.

First set: Murray* 5-3 Malisse Strong stuff from Murray, with a forehand winner from the first point particularly impressive. A hold to love.

First set: Murray 5-4 Malisse* Missed most of that game in a hunt for a Tekken character that resembles Xavier Malisse. I think I'm thinking of Paul Pheonix (second left), though I may be mistaken. Malisse holds, so Murray will have to serve out the set.

First set: Murray* 6-4 Malisse The young Scot is in form here. Federer would have been proud of the backhand that takes Murray to 30-0. A huge ace brings up 40-15, and a smash at the net seals the first set. Good stuff from the national treasure/embarrassment.

Murray wins the first set 6-4

Second set: Murray 1-0 Malisse* I think I might have been quite a way out with Paul Phoenix. Doesn't look anything like the X-Man. One of the worst proposed lookalikes ever, I'd say. Murray comes from behind with some sizzling stuff to break again. Malisse is on the ropes here.

Second set: Murray* 2-0 Malisse All rather subdued on Centre Court - Murray's been just too good so far. It's not exactly been a contest for the crowd to get their teeth into. Another straightforward hold.

Second set: Murray 3-0 Malisse* "Am I in a minority of one in actually liking Andy Murray?" writes, yep, Gary Naylor. "He's an intelligent, articulate guy who refuses to play dumb for the media nor pander to sponsors and the LTA. He's made a few mistakes as a teenager, but who hasn't? On song, his game is superb, second only to Federer in its range and quality. Shouldn't we extol his virtues instead of carping over his shortcomings?" I'd second that, but then baddies are always the best characters. Malisse double-faults to give Murray a break point, then plants the ball into the foot of the net. Bah - this is very one-sided.

Second set: Murray* 4-0 Malisse "Would Wimbledon not be more interesting if all the players looked like Tekken characters or X-Men?" ponders Hugh Maguire. I think we can safely say that yes, yes it would. You'd imagine King would have a fairly big serve. Murray wastes little time in sealing another game.

Second set: Murray 4-1 Malisse* Mr McGregor has suggested a "quality" Murray lookalike, which is bang on the money for me. Malisse looks dejected as Murray whacks a backhand into the net cord only for the ball don crampons and somehow climb over. It doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things, though, Malisse is finally on the board in this set.

Second set: Murray* 4-2 Malisse More fine serving from Murray, but - shock, horror - he finally makes a mistake, shanking a forehand drive into the net at 40-0. And, incredibly, it proves costly, with Malisse fighting back to deuce, and then gaining (and taking) a break point. "I swear Malisse looks like a second cousin, if not brother, of Matt Damon," offers Sam Vince.

Second set: Murray 5-2 Malisse*Screech, Napoleon Dynamite, and Beavis and/or Butthead are Rich Foxton and Ben Stebbings' Murray lookalike efforts. But Malisse is now looking like a man who can play a bit of tennis - occasionally. Just as I write that, Malisse makes a hash of a routine smash and Murray has the double-break once more.

Second set: *Murray 6-2 Malisse Another huge ace brings up two set points. Murray misses with a fairly simple volley on the first, but a booming serve on the second means Murray has a two-set cushion.

Murray wins second set 6-2

Third set: Murray 1-0 Malisse* Murray flaps his arms petulantly - if that's possible - after failing to put away a sitter at the net. I guess that shows he is pumped up - it'd be far too easy for him to slip into second gear now. Malisse can't compete with his invention, touch and speed around court, and Murray races to 15-40. After a superb rally Malisse brings it back to 30-40, but then he makes a right mess of a forehand. Murray's a break up yet again.

Third set: Murray* 2-0 Malisse Ben Ladkin suggests Goodfellas-era Ray Liotta as a Malisse lookalike - not a bad effort at all based on the picture above. He's playing more like Hannibal-era Ray Liotta after Sir Anthony Hopkins has got his hands on him. Not in this game though, he's forced a break point, which Murray saves only with a lightening-reactioned volley at the net. Two points later and the Scot is 2-0 up.

Third set: Murray 2-1 Malisse* "I'm slightly disturbed by Sue Barker's talk of 'Murray's Mound'," writes Jo Lenton. What would happen if Britain ever produced a decent player whose name can't be alliterated with a rise in the earth? I think the universe would probably collapse in on itself. Malisse finally gets a grip on himself and closes out a service game.

Third set: Murray* 3-1 Malisse More hard-hitting, but controlled stuff from Murray. A much easier hold than the last one.

Third set: Murray 3-2 Malisse* Malisse holds again. A ball girl and a ball boy (collectively do we call them 'ball young people'?) relay a couple of umbrellas out to the players. It's not raining, it's just a little sunny.

Third set: Murray* 4-2 Malisse Perhaps the best game of the match, full of strength-sapping rallies, big serving and line-hugging shots. The world No11 serves up his 13th ace to move to 40-15, but again Malisse hangs in there and wrestles the game back to deuce. Then advantage Murray. Then deuce. Then advantage Murray. Then deuce. Then advantage Murray. Then deuce. Then advantage Malisse. Then deuce. A shanked forehand from Malisse and a serve-and-volley later, Murray is two games away from the third round.

Third set: Murray 5-2 Malisse* At 0-30 Murray charges across the baseline to stretch out and crack a wonderful backhand pass down the line. On the next point he matches it, a thumping return that gives him the double-break and takes him to the cusp of victory.

Third set: Murray* 6-2 Malisse Murray serves for the match and it's never in any doubt. Some big, big serves keep Malisse on the back foot, then the Belgian challenges the call on match point. Hawkeye takes an age to produce the results - Malisse kills time by sitting rather uncomfortably on his racket, Murray plays keepy-uppy. Then finally the computer wizards get things sorted, call the serve in, and Murray marches through to round three.

Andy Murray beats Xavier Malisse 6-4, 6-2, 6-2

I'm no tennis expert, but that looked pretty good to me. "I played well throughout," says Murray. Ha - told you. Maybe I am a bit of an expert after all.

Tommy Haas waits in the third round. The German beat the No23 seed Tommy Robredo in straight sets this afternoon. "Please help me to popularize the slightly erie-sounding 'ball-children'," writes Graeme Currie. That might have to wait for another day. Cheers for your emails, folks. Cheerio.