Andy Murray has given his stamp of approval to Britain's new Wimbledon hero Liam Broady.
As Murray gets his campaign under way this afternoon, third on Centre Court, he can rest safe in the knowledge he will not be the only Briton in the second round should he see off Kazakhstan's Mikhail Kukushkin.
Broady was gallant on the opening day of the championships, recovering what seemed a lost cause when he slipped two sets behind against Australian Marinko Matosevic.
Rather than accept the situation, Broady dug deep to pull off a 5-7 4-6 6-3 6-2 6-3 victory, prompting Murray to write on Twitter: "Well done @liambroady . big comeback win."
The accompanying emojis - a clenched fist, smiley face, and thumbs-up - said it all. It takes a lot to impress Murray, who demands the highest standards and expects his British colleagues to battle as Broady did.
Stockport native Broady said he had no plans to spend any time with estranged father Simon, who still coaches his sister Naomi - a first-round loser on Monday evening.
The Broady family broke from the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) in 2007 after Naomi was handed a ban when pictures of her draped over a condom machine on a night out made their way onto social media. Liam Broady broke that feud three years ago and moved back under the LTA umbrella, and was promptly shunned by his father.
After beating Matosevic, Broady said: "To be honest my dad's not even popped into my head with the result."
He faces a fine of 2,500 US dollars for swearing during his match, but softening the blow is guaranteed prize money of at least £47,000.
Money hardly matters to Murray, a millionaire many times over who plays for trophies, none of which rank higher to him than Wimbledon.
The 2013 champion h as "rebuilt his identity" to put himself in contention for a second Wimbledon title, according to former British standard-setter Tim Henman.
Henman told Press Association Sport: "By the end of last year Andy's game lacked a bit of identity. How was he going to win? He just lacked that edge.
"But then you look at how he came out in Australia after the off-season, he was so proactive and looking to dictate and for me the six months of this year is as good as I've ever seen him play.
"He's rebuilt his identity, and that's what's seen him put himself right back at the top of his game."
Jonas Bjorkman is the latest addition to Murray's coaching staff but Henman reckons it is Amelie Mauresmo, the former Wimbledon ladies' champion and the Scot's coach for the past year, who merits the most praise.
"Amelie deserves a lot of credit for helping him push right back and be better than ever," said Henman, speaking in association with the BNP Paribas Tennis Classic at The Hurlingham Club.
"He's won in Munich and Madrid on clay, reached the semis of the French, won again at Queen's, he's married, he's in a great place in his career and his life."
Laura Robson returns to Wimbledon on Tuesday, lacking match-fitness on her comeback from a long-term wrist problem but relishing her clash with Russian Evgeniya Rodina.
Heather Watson resumes at one set all against France's Carolina Garcia on Court 12, while fellow British players Kyle Edmund, James Ward, Aljaz Bedene and Brydan Klein also aim to go beyond round one.
Source: PA
