Judy Murray: Andy faces tough US Open match against Nick Kyrgios

Updated

Andy Murray has been dealt a tough opening match as he prepares to take on Australia's Nick Kyrgios in the US Open, his mother Judy said.

The British number one has beaten him twice this year but Kyrgios has previously seen off both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Murray is bidding for his third grand slam title and regain the crown he won at Flushing Meadows in 2012.

His mother Judy hopes his strong return of serve and his experience of playing the US Open will see him through the match against Kyrgios.

She told the Press Association: "Nick Kyrgios is a young Australian with a very big serve and a very big forehand - he really, really lets rip at the ball.

"He's a very strong emerging player who is also very dangerous on his day, so it's a tough one.

"Andy has played him a few times, he has a good record against him, and I think in many ways it's a good match up, because one of Andy's strengths is return of serve, so in some ways that perhaps takes away one of the strengths.

"But Andy will obviously need to use his experience of playing many times the US Open.

"There are no easy first rounds ever, but this is quite a tricky one."

Murray played Kyrgios at both the Australian Open and French Open earlier this year, winning on both occasions without dropping a set.

The controversial player was handed a suspended 28-day ban and 25,000 US dollar (£16,000) fine for disparaging comments made towards Stan Wawrinka about his girlfriend at the Rogers Cup in Montreal earlier this month.

Judy Murray said: "Andy has always enjoyed playing America, I think ever since he won the Orange Bowl, a kind of unofficial world under-12 championships, when he was very young.

"It gave him a lot of confidence, a lot of belief, and ever since then he's enjoyed playing in America.

"The hard courts suit him - it's what he was brought up on, on the indoor hard courts at Stirling University, so the surface is good for him and he likes the whole positivity and the real buzz around New York and the US Open. He's always really enjoyed the atmosphere there."

The tennis coach was in Bishopton, Renfrewshire, to present veterans' charity Erskine with a National Lottery trophy for the UK's best sport project.

Erskine got their elderly care home residents involved in last year's Commonwealth Games by organising a programme of sports and activities themselves.

The Lottery-funded project saw 80 and 90-year-olds take each other on at balloon tennis, wheelchair games and cycling and won Erskine the £2,000 prize for best sport project.

Judy said: "They are thoroughly deserving winners.

"People often think of National Lottery funding being invested into elite sport and facilities but the project run by Erskine is a great example of the difference the money is making to people of all ages and abilities.

"One of the veterans here was inspired by the project to get back into cycling at the age of 98 years."

Erskine chief executive Steve Conway said: "The project was a fantastic success and all our veterans thoroughly enjoyed trying new activities and rekindling old sporting passions."

Advertisement