WIMBLEDON, England // With the help of an audacious between-the-legs trick shot, Andy Murray once again heads into the second week of Wimbledon carrying the hopes of a nation for a first homegrown men's champion in 75 years.
The fourth-seeded Murray advanced to the fourth round by defeating Ivan Ljubicic 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (4) in a match that ended at nearly 10 pm Friday under the roof on Centre Court.
Rather than Murray's big serve or two-handed backhand, the talk was all about the shot he pulled off in the seventh game of the fourth set.
After Ljubicic hit a short ball, Murray strolled forward toward the service line, hopped in the air, took his racket behind his back and casually flicked a shot through his legs. It floated over the net and landed in for a cross-court winner.
It was similar to a shot Murray hit during his victory over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final of the Queen's Club grass-court tournament on June 13.
"It's just one of those things that you're just in the right position," Murray said. "I tried it at Queen's and I tried it a couple of times in practice since. I haven't missed one yet. You look like a (fool) when you do, so I'm glad I made it.
"It's one of those shots that you don't get a chance to try them very often and, luckily, I've pulled it off a couple times the last few weeks."
Murray served for the match at 5-3 in the fourth set but couldn't convert, hitting an errant forehand on the second break point. But Murray took advantage of errors by the 32-year-old Croatian - the oldest man in the third round - in the tiebreaker and ended the match by following up a big first serve with a forehand putaway.
"I felt like I played very good tennis from the back of the court tonight," he said. "I just needed to serve better. And I returned pretty well and I moved really good. So that's a step in the right direction. It was much better than my last match."
Murray now has the weekend off until a fourth-round matchup against 17th-seeded Frenchman Richard Gasquet, who beat Simone Bolelli in straight sets. Murray and Gasquet have split their four previous matches, with Murray coming from two sets down to win at Wimbledon in 2008 but the Frenchman winning the last two.
The weight of expectations will only increase on Murray, who has reached the semifinals the last two years. The British public is fervently hoping he will break the curse and become the first homegrown men's winner since Fred Perry in 1936.
"It's still very intense," Murray said of the pressure.
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Jaguar F-Pace SVR
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German plea
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the German parliament that. Russia had erected a new wall across Europe.
"It's not a Berlin Wall -- it is a Wall in central Europe between freedom and bondage and this Wall is growing bigger with every bomb" dropped on Ukraine, Zelenskyy told MPs.
Mr Zelenskyy was applauded by MPs in the Bundestag as he addressed Chancellor Olaf Scholz directly.
"Dear Mr Scholz, tear down this Wall," he said, evoking US President Ronald Reagan's 1987 appeal to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate.
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
if you go
The flights Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, Emirates, Etihad, and Royal Jordanian all offer direct, three-and-a-half-hour flights from the UAE to the Jordanian capital Amman. Alternatively, from June Fly Dubai will offer a new direct service from Dubai to Aqaba in the south of the country. See the airlines’ respective sites for varying prices or search on reliable price-comparison site Skyscanner.
The trip
Jamie Lafferty was a guest of the Jordan Tourist Board. For more information on adventure tourism in Jordan see Visit Jordan. A number of new and established tour companies offer the chance to go caving, rock-climbing, canyoning, and mountaineering in Jordan. Prices vary depending on how many activities you want to do and how many days you plan to stay in the country. Among the leaders are Terhaal, who offer a two-day canyoning trip from Dh845 per person. If you really want to push your limits, contact the Stronger Team. For a more trek-focused trip, KE Adventure offers an eight-day trip from Dh5,300 per person.
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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
