Murray finds style cramped by Nalbandian

TENNIS: "It will always be Henman Hill to me," remarked a plummy BBC commentator. You wanna bet, Bud? Murray Field, the slope of grass at Aorangi Terrace outside the show courts at Wimbledon, finally fell silent as 18-year-old Andy Murray literally fell out of the draw. Severe cramps that had been a feature of his final match in the Queens tournament in the run-in to Wimbledon revisited the young Scot in what was a fairytale beginning and dramatic end to a sparkling run on the grass.

Murray's name can now legitimately be added to the list of young talent coming through in the men's game: the proven 19-year-old Spaniard Rafael Nadal, the 18-year-old French player Richard Gasquet - who plays Murray's conqueror, David Nalbandian, today - and compatriot 19-year-old Gael Monfils.

For the best part of two hours the teenager from Dunblane had most believing that he could pull off this Centre Court stunt against a player who was ranked almost 300 places above him and had already been to a Wimbledon final.

The 6-7, 1-6, 6-0, 6-4, 6-1 defeat concluded Murray's domination of the UK media for another year, but the player leaves Wimbledon - metaphorically, as he's playing in the junior event - a rich young man, signed up as he is with the Octagon company.

Murray's agent Sian Masterton, who has engineered deals for Anna Kournikova and the runner Paula Radcliffe, has been extensively quoted as saying: "It is fair to say the interest in him has been massive. He has bonuses in place that are geared to success and the last few days have been good."

Head Racquets, clothes manufacturer Fred Perry, Robinson's drinks and Royal Bank of Scotland are already on board, while the Sun even paid a significant amount to "patch up" his coach Mark Petchy.

While Octagon decline to share their views on how much Murray is now worth, estimates are in the region of £10 million over the next four years if he continues to improve.

Therein lies the question, but with better physical conditioning Murray could become a great player because of two attributes. He possesses barely controlled aggression and mentally, even now, he is very strong.

"I'm a little bit disappointed because my legs were really knackered," he admitted afterwards. "I couldn't move towards the end and I was annoyed I couldn't keep going in the fifth set.

"Physically I'm not so strong but that's not surprising considering I'm only 18. I was in pain actually. I sat down and tried to stand up and my legs couldn't do it."

Now he knows the levels to reach and while the cramping is an issue now both Roddick and Michael Chang suffered with the same problems early in their careers.

Murray may not have seen much of Saturday's play, but he would have seen the varying abilities of the three players tipped for a long run here.

World number one Roger Federer, American Andy Roddick and Australian Lleyton Hewitt are safely through to the second week and all play today.

Hewitt, the best retriever in the world, will need all of his fetching skills against the big-swinging American Taylor Dent.

At one stage tipped with Roddick and Mardy Fish to inherit the Sampras, Agassi crown, Taylor has not yet emerged as a top player. His one-dimensional game, however, could give Hewitt problems. A natural serve-and-volley player, he is likely to test the Hewitt return.

Federer meets former French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero in the evening match on Centre Court. Some sublime play against Nicolas Kiefer, who gave the favourite a tough time, even pilfering the second set, has become a regular trait of the Federer game. With customary assurance the Swiss number one moves closer to a rare hat-trick of titles.

Sampras did it twice, Fred Perry did it from 1934 to 1936 and Bjorn Borg won five times in succession. Federer is not blind to the historical value of making it through the week to Sunday.

Nor is Roddick, who swung more freely on Saturday and will have to do so again against one the world's best clay-court players, Guillermo Coria.

The Argentinian, who lost in last year's French Open final, is a credible danger to the American. While Roddick's serve will be used in an effort to see him through, the baseline game of Coria is on the same level.

Roddick tends to win his service games easily and then concentrate on pressurising his opponent's serve. Just one service break a set will win him matches. But he has yet to prove that there is anything more than just power. A runner-up last year, he has tried to build in variety by approaching the net more frequently, but unlike players such as Federer and Henman, Roddick looks uncomfortable doing it.