WHILE it took a second meeting for Dani Vallverdu to warm to Andy Murray, it didn't take him long for him to single the Scot out as a potential Wimbledon winner.
The best pals met while at the Sanchez-Casal Academy in Barcelona six years ago and the South American's initial impression of the Scot wasn't favourable. Like others who see his on-court intensity and, wrongly, confuse it for grumpiness or think his
hatred of failure is actually teenage petulance, Vallverdu says he made assumptions but they were soon proved wrong.
"Two nights after I met him for the first time we went for dinner and I realised how open and outgoing he was. Since then we have been pretty close. Andy seemed like a closed guy at first, who wouldn't talk to many people, but that's totally the wrong impression of him because he's so outgoing and always laughing and joking.
"Andy cares about people. He's always asking how people are getting on and that's his best quality as a person in my opinion. He's a great friend who is always there for you whenever you need him. He's a guy who has an unbelievable heart and I'm just so proud to call him a good friend of mine.
"The one thing we have in common is we hate losing. He beats me at tennis, football and pool but I beat him at basketball and I'm a better dresser than him! Oh, and I can speak more languages than him so it's not all the one way."
While there are some pretty useful players in his way, Vallverdu says he wouldn't be surprised if Murray managed to get his feet even further under the table in the coming fortnight.
"Andy never talked about winning Wimbledon but the first week I met him and was playing with him I told one of our other friends that I thought he was going to win Wimbledon one year. He was just that good. He had something special that not many players have. I think he could win it this year, for sure. He has a realistic chance."
Since their days together in Barcelona, Murray has graduated to the men's tour and No.12 in the world rankings, but after a brief spell on the circuit, the Venezuelan opted to continue mixing tennis with education, combining a degree in international business with college tennis in the US. Classes start back on June 25, which means he will only be around for Murray's first-round match. But if his friend makes it to the final, he plans to be watching from the Centre Court stands.
"I'll definitely fly back – I just hope he gets me a ticket!"
The full article contains 470 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
