Murray calm on the day after the night before

THE day after the night before for Andy Murray was spent back in the glare of a media spotlight that saw him feature on the front page of nearly every newspaper yesterday.

His arrival at Aorangi Park at just after 2pm prompted a scream from the group of teenage girls gathered by the players' entrance. Those bearing the burden of television cameras were instantly mobilised. Here began the countdown to later today, when everything will stop for the latest installment of How A Scot Conquered Centre Court.

There was an undisguised buzz around Wimbledon yesterday, and not because it was women's quarter-final day. Everyone, it seemed, wanted to talk about Andy Murray. Everyone, it seemed, was talking about Andy Murray. Everyone except Andy Murray, of course. The Scot has opted not to speak the day before a match at this year's Wimbledon, and, since he is in a four-match winning groove, has decided, reasonably, to stick with this programme ahead of today's last eight meeting with Rafael Nadal.

Thus Tim Henman was set upon by a group of reporters. He has become used to being asked about Murray, but it still must feel odd to have become yesterday's news so quickly. He described Monday night's stirring battle with Richard Gasquet as a "a turning point" for Murray. Henman, who once jokingly described the Scot as a "miserable git", acknowledged the enthusiasm which he had engendered in the dusk of Monday evening, and claimed the thaw in relations between Murray and Middle England had only been a matter of time.

"I am not surprised by it," he said. "In terms of playing here it is still a two-way street. You have to get to know and understand the feelings out on Centre Court, and, likewise, the crowd need to get to know him (Murray] as a person and a player. It was evident that there was fantastic support and he will need it because playing Nadal is going to be an even bigger challenge."

Henman reflected on his own career, and recalled the occasion when he, too, felt that a connection had been established between him and the fans.

"I think my (Yevgeny] Kafelnikov match (which Henman won in five sets in 1996], my first time on Centre Court, was the one," he said. "The nature of the match meant I felt like it was a significant moment in my career. That's where I felt there was unbelievable support, and that was ever present throughout my career.

"From that point of view I do think (Monday's match] has been a turning point. He has been a little bit unfortunate in the way some of the things he has done and said have been interpreted in the press but that's the nature of the beast. I think with his performance and his attitude, and the way the crowd received him, it will be the first of many occasions."

Henman sensed a desire to get behind Murray. This spirit was illustrated in Barry Cowan's willingness to answer a call from Murray's coach Miles Maclagan yesterday. It came at just before 2pm, minutes before Murray was due on a practice court at Aorangi Park. The gist of the request was whether Cowan, who once took Pete Sampras to five sets while famously listening to You'll Never Walk Alone on his Walkman between sets, was free to come and hit some serves at Murray.

The reason Cowan was in demand is simple: like Nadal, Murray's opponent today, he is a left-hander. Cowan answered the call, which is why someone with bare feet, and dressed in khaki shorts and a rapidly darkening tee-shirt, spent a portion of yesterday afternoon serving at Britain's sports person-of-the moment.

No-one is suggesting Cowan was able to replicate Nadal's power, but the effort, clearly apparent from the way a sweaty Cowan panted, was appreciated by Murray's team, whose relaxed state of mind was evident as they clowned around in the sun afterwards. Cowan, now a commentator on satellite television, later described Murray as a "genius", one who is benefiting from such a shrewd coach as Maclagan. He was happy to answer his old friend's call yesterday, even if it left him in urgent need of a shower.

"I've known Miles for years, he's one of my best friends," explained the 33-year-old Cowan. "He just called and said 'do you want to hit 15 minutes of serves with Andy?' I'm a left-hander and he's playing Rafa tomorrow so I was more than happy to help. I think it is important that the whole country gets behind Andy tomorrow to help him produce a performance. Even it improves things by an extra one per cent, that could help him."

Cowan pinpointed Nadal's serve as being a major weapon, and he sought to mirror the Spaniard's assorted shot selection. "His serve is one of the biggest improvements in Nadal's game in the last three or four years," said Cowan. "I remember watching a match of his on Centre Court three years ago and he barely touched 100mph, but now you see that it is up to 125mph and he's also developed a lot of variation. I do expect him to serve a lot to Andy's forehand. We know how good Andy's backhand is. Hopefully, the fact that I was able to serve to the two corners and also into the body will have helped him."

Nadal, perhaps sensibly, avoided the practice courts yesterday, and is in any case nursing a calf twinge sustained early on in his match against Mikhail Youzhny on Monday. He was believed to have travelled to the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton. Murray, though, did as he has done on each rest day here, and went to work at Aorangi Park with his team.

Before stepping-on to the court he bantered with Feliciano Lopez, Nadal's compatriot, and teased him by suggesting he had served like his Spanish friend during the first two sets against Gasquet on Monday. Murray is clearly popular with his peers, and few will be opposed to the idea of his triumph today. The photographers then clustered at the back of the court as a Union Jack flag was handed to Murray. The Scot indulged their requests for him to hold the flag up higher and then drape it around his shoulders. He even offered them a smile. Many more shapes will need to be thrown today.

£10m betting bonanza is predicted

BOOKMAKERS William Hill are predicting that the Andy Murray versus Rafa Nadal Wimbledon quarter-final showdown will smash all betting records.

"Even in Tim Henman's prime he was never involved in a tennis match which produced a betting turnover in excess of £5 million, but we are confident that this game will do so – and it could even go as high as £10m at stake on the match," said Hill's spokesman Rupert Adams.

"With Murray attracting massive patriotic support from both sides of the Scottish border with £100,000 wagered overnight, and professional punters lumping huge bets on Nadal, this is already the biggest betting match involving Murray."

Hills make Murray (3-1) the clear outsider today, and 12-1 to go on to win Wimbledon.