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Open Court
Andy Murray Wins Wimbledon; Interview with Lleyton Hewitt; Tennis Baby Takes to Twitter
Aired July 18, 2013 - 05:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAT CASH, HOST: Andy Murray wins Wimbledon. OPEN COURT looks back on a fortnight to remember. Coming up on the show, Britain's 77-year-long wait for a men's champ is finally over.
ANDY MURRAY, WIMBLEDON CHAMPION: You know, that's the one worry you have before you go to bed, you know, if you wake up, it's actually not true.
CASH: No more nightmares for Murray. The Scotsman is king.
Plus, Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt and I still keep our eye on the ball. And a tennis Twitter baby who knows how to ask the tough questions.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CASH: The Wimbledon men's final had a feeling of a Hollywood screenplay. Perfect weather, Centre Court filled to the brim, and the number one and two seeds, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, playing off for the title. In the end, it was Murray who won in three tight sets, giving Britain the fairy tale ending.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MURRAY: It's the pinnacle of the sport. When you see the names that are on that trophy and you know, how much history there is to this event, it's just amazing to have my name brought up.
CASH: Andy Murray, Wimbledon men's champion. Those are the words British tennis fans have been waiting 77 years to hear.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, well, fortunately we haven't been around quite since the '30s to have to picture all of that turmoil.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 77 years of nothing, and finally to have a winner.
CASH: Millions watched as Murray ended the drought with a hard-fought straight sets victory over world number one, Novak Djokovic.
MURRAY: I'm just relieved to have won that match, especially after the way the last game went, just a crazy last game. But I think when I get to take a step back over the next couple of days and sort of relax and think about what I did today, I'll realize it was a big, big day in our sport's history.
CASH: It was a day that would have made Fred Perry proud. He was the last British man to win Wimbledon, back in 1936. He wore white trousers and was a fan of the overhead smash. Decades would pass before a trio of Brits would claim the ladies singles crown. Angela Mortimer, Ann Hayden Jones, and in 1977, during the queen's jubilee celebrations, Virginia Wade won the title.
Dressed in pink, Queen Elizabeth made a rare stop at the All-England Club, and presented Wade with the Venus Rosewater dish.
VIRGINIA WADE, 1977 WIMBLEDON CHAMPION: It was sort of extra motivation for me, because, I thought, well, if the queen's going to be there, I better be there too, you know, sort of thing. And (inaudible) because I'll never get another chance. It is very hard to explain quite how ecstatic you feel, because I know when I won, and all I heard all that noise and all that atmosphere and all that cheering and everything, I hadn't experienced anything like that myself.
CASH: Many point to Ivan Lendl's coaching as the game changer that transformed Murray from nearly-man (ph) to Grand Slam champ. Since hiring the tennis legend, Murray has appeared in four Grand Slam title matches, and won two.
MURRAY: I needed to kind of get in my head around how I needed to play those big matches, and having someone like Ivan Lendl in my corner, he's helped me a lot with that. You know, after I lost the Wimbledon final last year, I was really upset with the loss, but I was not disappointed with the way I played, because I'd gone out there and I tried to win the match. I didn't wait for my opponent to lose it. And it was him that sort of stayed on me about that, you know, making sure I went for it and I was aggressive and coming off the court with no regrets. And I have a lot to thank him for.
NEIL HARMAN, TENNIS CORRESPONDENT, THE TIMES: I think we'll look back, and that was the defining moment of Andy's career. He was a very, very good player before that happened. He was a potential champion before that happened, but I think Lendl got inside his head, and I think he made him believe. Go out there and be a man, and do what you can do best.
CASH: After a visit to Downing Street and a marathon day spent doing the media rounds, the 2013 Wimbledon champion will now switch to hard court practice.
MURRAY: Trying to get myself ready to defend the U.S. Open. It will be a first time trying to defend a Grand Slam, so that will be a new pressure for me, a new experience, and (inaudible).
CASH: The wait is over for Britain. The wait is over for Andy Murray.
HARMAN: (inaudible) pleased as him, because no one has worked harder for it, no one's devoted more time to it. Nobody deserves it more.
CASH: Olympic gold medallist, U.S. Open champion, and finally, the sweetest prize of them all, Wimbledon champion.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CASH: The roar from Centre Court extended all the way to Dunblane, Scotland, a small town, the home of Andy Murray. That's where his grandparents and local supporters gathered to cheer on their hero. Here is Alex Thomas.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALEX THOMAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The roar of the crowd is gone, but there's a lasting sense of pride on the streets of Dunblane, Scotland. This is 2013 Wimbledon champion Andy Murray's home town.
JUDY MURRAY, ANDY'S MOTHER: To drive round about and see all the (inaudible) saying well done, the shops are all full of it, and to see so many kids on the court. I mean, that's wonderful. Yes, I think it shows anything is possible, and if it, you know, it's got a lot of (inaudible).
CASH: This is the tennis club where it all began for Andy Murray. From an early age, he practiced on these courts with his brother, Jamie.
ROY ERSKINE, ANDY'S GRANDFATHER: They were quite interested in playing with us for a wee while, but it really didn't last long. We still had to take them there, but I mean, they developed so quickly, and they were so, so much better than we were, ever, we were, ever. And by the time they were 7 and 8, I mean, we couldn't help them.
(CROSSTALK)
SHIRLEY ERSKINE, ANDY'S GRANDMOTHER: Andy used to complain that his grandpa didn't play properly. He used to stomp his foot and say, hit the ball properly, grandpa. Because my husband used to do little funny tweedly shots and things with him to (inaudible).
THOMAS: It did not take long for Shirley to notice her grandson's competitive streak.
SHIRLEY ERSKINE: Oh, just determined, you know, whatever it is, didn't matter what he was playing. Monopoly, he had to win. Many other time the board would be upended and on the floor, and you know, floods of tears and all this kind of thing, but very competitive. More so than Jamie. Jamie was - he liked to keep the peace, you know. He didn't like seeing Andy to be upset.
THOMAS: The courts where Andy learned to play are filled with children competing in their first tournaments. The Judy Murray Cup will go to the winner.
(CROSSTALK)
JUDY MURRAY: I've always been about creating opportunities for kids, and this little event that we have here is just a perfect little starter. You see all the parents getting involved, the sun shining, and the kids are having great fun.
THOMAS: It was nearly a year ago that Dunblane celebrated Andy Murray's gold and silver medal showing at the London Olympics.
JUDY MURRAY: I suspected that it would be really busy, but I had no idea it was going to be as busy as it was. I mean, we ended up having to close the road into the home, because there was no parking space left. You just couldn't get any more people in. He spent so much time (inaudible) trying not to miss anybody at all. He spent so much time, and I think everybody had made the effort really appreciated that, and then of course we ended up here, and we had about 200 children on the court. But to end up here where it all started, that was (inaudible) that much for me.
THOMAS: While Judy watched her youngest son win Wimbledon, from the players box on Centre Court, Roy and Shirley waited in Dunblane for a call from their grandson.
SHIRLEY ERSKINE: I thought, I've got to hear this, because I knew that Andy would only be on for a few seconds, because he's in such demand. And I just had time to hear a few words and say that absolutely wonderful, we couldn't be more proud, and you can hear the support here, or something like that. And then he said, "And how are you, Minnie?" Because he calls me Minnie because I'm so small. And I said, I'm fine, how are you? Good. Good, he said. And then I said, right, you better go and scrub up, you've got a ball to go to tonight. And all the time I'm trying to find my husband, because I'm so (inaudible), you know, and of course he couldn't hear me either, so by the time you got to the phone, he was pretty well had to move.
ROY ERSKINE: He was ready to go.
SHIRLEY ERSKINE: He was in such total demand.
ROY ERSKINE: Just able to say, "well done, Andy."
JUDY MURRAY: I watched Wimbledon, glued to Wimbledon from when I was a little girl, and then suddenly I'm thinking, God, you know, my son just won, and of course (inaudible). This is where it started, just our local little club, so hopefully it is going to inspire a whole lot more kids to try tennis, and certainly in the local area to get more people to enter a local club.
(CROSSTALK)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CASH: When I visit this players box, it brings back lots of memories, not only of the day that I won, but the importance of family and team support. It was great to see Andy and the surprise ladies winner, Marion Bartoli of France, climb through the stands to celebrate and share the moment with the ones that mean the most to them.
We'll be right back after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CASH: Welcome back to OPEN COURT. Well, it's been over a decade since Lleyton Hewitt won the men's singles title here at Wimbledon, but he's still a real threat, as he returned this year to defeat a top 10 player. The 32-year-old intends to play the U.S. Open, and then return to the Australian Open for the 18th consecutive year. Now, that's quite an accomplishment for a player who refuses to quit the game he loves.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CASH: Two former Wimbledon champions sharing a practice court at the All-England Club. On the sidelines, an eager fan from the next generation, Lleyton Hewitt's young son, Cruz.
LLEYTON HEWITT, FORMER WORLD NUMBER 1: He loves the sports. So he's a little crazy (ph), hangs around with me at the tennis courts most of the time, and you know, he just loves picking up balls and hitting a few shots whenever he gets the opportunity.
CASH: Like father, like son. Lleyton Hewitt still loves to hit a tennis ball. At the age of 32, he is still dangerous. This summer, he's already beaten two top 10 players.
For me, I was not in a similar boat to you. I grew up an Aussie kid, dreamed of playing Wimbledon and for my country, did that, won one, and I lost the motivation. But you're still here, fighting away.
(CROSSTALK)
HEWITT: Yes, well, we both had a lot of injuries in our career, and in the early part of my career, I didn't have a lot of injuries, and then it's really been on me, though, the last four or five years, I've had five different surgeries, and in some ways it makes you fresher to come back. Mentally, I don't feel burnt out whatsoever. I don't care about my ranking whatsoever. These days, though, I pick and choose the tournaments I want to play.
CASH: Hewitt aims to play the Slams each year. He won the U.S. Open when he was 20 years old. A year later, he was the Wimbledon champion.
HEWITT: I got to match point against Nalbandian, two sets to love and a double break. And everything is pretty calm inside at that time, because you're up and I get up 40-love serving for it, and I actually go to serve and volley first and second serve, and hit a double fault. So I said, no, I'm not doing that again. I'm going back to basics. I'm going to grind from the back of the court, and I'm just going to get this done. So when I actually won, Nalbandian hit a ball long, and I dropped on my back, and it is a pretty amazing feeling. You don't really understand how big an achievement it is when it happens at such a young age as well. You take it a little bit for granted at the time, I guess, but yes, if I look back, I was 21 at the time, and had won two Grand Slams, won a Davis Cup, and been world number one. And as a kid growing up, it's just your dream to get one of those things, you know? And for it all to happen so quickly, you know, you really have to pinch yourself.
CASH: You are a hero to a lot of kids out there. You are not 6-5, you don't have a big serve, you are a tough competitor with great physical ability. Is that sort of something you want to show the kids or-
HEWITT: Yes, absolutely. It's more probably the passion about playing Davis Cup and representing Australia. When I grew up, you know, I competed (ph) about 70 (ph) times, but the '86 final against Pernfors, and coming back from two sets to love down. I don't know how many times I've watched that replay, but the kids growing up, and to see the passion and how proud you can be to wear the green and gold and play for Australia. That means a lot to me, and one of the biggest reasons I still play the game.
CASH: Hewitt and wife Bec are raising their three kids in the Bahamas, but they are still in touch with their Aussie roots. Lleyton still follows his favorite Aussie rules football team.
So you recognize this (inaudible)?
(CROSSTALK)
HEWITT: I admire him. My father and grandfather and uncle played professionally in Australia. So-
CASH: Like my dad did.
HEWITT: So it is an amazing thing growing up, and I think, you know, in some ways, it makes it a little tougher out there as well.
(CROSSTALK)
HEWITT: AFL (ph) was always my first sport, until about the age of 14. And tennis really started to take over, and I had to make that tough choice, and it wasn't easy at all.
CASH: Do you still get out there and have a little kick?
HEWITT: Yeah, I try to.
CASH: Let's do it.
(CROSSTALK)
HEWITT: Especially as you get older.
(LAUGHTER)
CASH: Yes!
Still to come on OPEN COURT.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot of the players, they want pictures with her now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CASH: Andy Murray and Marion Bartoli's singles wins captured the headlines during this fortnight. But there was another big win that quietly soared (ph) under the radar. The Bryan brothers captured the doubles crown, but that's only the beginning of this story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CASH: Meet the greatest double act in tennis history, Bob and Mike Bryan. The identical twins whose records may never be matched. They are the current holders of the U.S. Open, Australian Open, French Open, and now Wimbledon. All four Grand Slams. Oh, and they won something else too. The Olympics.
MIKE BRYAN, 2013 WIMBLEODN DOUBLES CHAMPION: We want to win a few more titles. We love that we're getting to the twilight years of our career and we're still playing strong at 35. And I think the ultimate goal is to keep playing, and that's to Rio. I don't know if Bob wants to go that far, but definitely I am going to be pushing him.
CASH: What is more remarkable is they are still dominating the game despite a recent new off-court commitment.
Meet Micaela Bryan, Bob's one-year-old daughter and perhaps the youngest member of the world doubles tour.
MIKE BRYAN: We love having her on the road. That was the only way Bob would do it, and he wants to see her develop and grow up, and we've seen her first steps. We saw her roll over for the first time. And I'm a good babysitter. It's been a blast. She doesn't care if we win or lose, so after tough losses, keep things in perspective pretty well.
CASH: And it is clear the best tennis players in the world like having her on tour too. They regularly pose for photos with Micaela. The family have been tweeting them out with captions, creating a social media sensation.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Every one of her tweets is kind of like a cartoon strip.
MICHELLE BRYAN, BOB BRYAN'S WIFE: Every time Novak sees her, it's really funny. He cracks me up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's funny, a lot of the players, they want pictures with her now, they want to be legitimate. It's a big thing to have a picture with Micaela, and now she's got 10,000 followers, and her Twitter page is blown up.
CASH: I figured it was my turn to get into the act, so I set up a meeting with Micaela in London. First impressions die hard, and she wasn't too sure about my rock'n'roll headband.
Yeah, I do the same when (inaudible).
We eventually made amends. I sat down with the brothers for some two- on-one time.
All right, give me an outline. Micaela's Twitter account. (inaudible) with all the superstars.
BOB BRYAN, 2013 WIMBLEDON DOUBLES CHAMPION: Yes, my wife kind of masterminded it. She got Micaela Bryan, @MicaelaBryan, before she was born. And I didn't even know about it. And then we got this picture with Nadal in Miami, and he kneeled down, took a picture with her, and just as a joke, we were like, oh, let's put it on her Twitter account. And we put it on, woke up the next day, and she had something like 750 followers. And so it was kind of born right then, and we were like, now she has all these fans. We've got to keep them happy, so we just kept taking pictures with the stars.
CASH: And in the end, who's going to say no to a beautiful baby?
BOB BRYAN: Wendall (ph) is one of our buddies. He's a great guy. He actually has four girls. But when I saw him in Australia in the food court, I said, hey, will you take a picture with Micaela? And he's like, no, absolutely not. I'm like, what? He's like, you have to be in the picture, I am not going to hold her by myself. I'm like, has it been that long since you had a baby? And -
MIKE BRYAN: He's got butter fingers.
BOB BRYAN: He just wouldn't do it. I don't know the reasoning, he did not explain, but I got in the picture, he was happy to take the snapshot, and he made it on Micaela's Twitter feed.
CASH: There are some funny captions going on here. Who writes the captions?
MIKE BRYAN: Bob is the brains behind the operation. He and Michelle get together and they come up with the funny captions.
BOB BRYAN: She weeds out anything that's too vulgar.
CASH: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga?
BOB BRYAN: This tweet is in French, to appeal to her French fans. You know (inaudible), Micaela? I don't think so.
CASH: Of course you have Roger Federer.
BOB BRYAN: Roger, yes, Roger kind of a play on he's blessing her with his eternal RF power, which is what everyone wants, a little bit of his magic. He kind of baptized her that day.
Here is actually a funny one. Murray was playing the U.S. Open final, and Murray took a picture with her, and me actually, did a little PhotoShop, painted her green kind of like Yoda. And she was giving words of wisdom to him, how to win his first Grand Slam title. It was something like use the force. And it worked, he won it.
CASH: And this is one of you guys.
BOB BRYAN: Oh, yes, this is -
CASH: I didn't recognize you there.
BOB BRYAN: Occasionally when we're a little bored and we don't have that much material, I'll get in one of her tweets, and there's a sort of crying, we're lying in bed, you know, she's crying, she wants to watch her cartoons. And dad wants to watch CNN.
(CROSSTALK)
(LAUGTHER)
CASH: Micaela eventually dried her tears and figured I couldn't be all that bad. She decided to tweet a photo to her 11,000 followers, but I must say the pleasure was all mine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CASH: If you'd like to see more of Micaela's photos, log on to our website at cnn.com/opencourt. We've also got our Facebook page up and running and got a whole gallery for you to look through. Log on to Facebook and look for our Open Court fan page.
Well, that is all we have for this month's show. Next month, we head to New York and the final Grand Slam of the year. And we'll get to catch up with tennis great Billie Jean King. But for now, it's goodbye from London.
END
