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British number one Jack Draper wants to fill the sizeable shoes of Andy Murray – even if they did used to stink the locker room out.
Life after Murray begins in earnest on Monday with the start of the US Open in the first grand slam since the Scot called time on his glittering career.
The absence of the three-time grand slam champion leaves a big hole in British tennis, but at 22, Draper is the best hope of flying the flag.
“It seems a bit weird not having Andy there with his rancid, stinking shoes lying next to me in the locker room,” Draper said ahead of his first-round match with Zhang Zhizhen on Tuesday.
“Andy’s shoes would always be drying out next to me with his wedding ring on it and that sort of stuff.
“I do miss his presence a lot. I think it’s important that I do obviously feel a responsibility to really play good tennis and be the British number one.
“So I miss Andy, but obviously things have to come to an end, and hopefully I can keep on going from here and the other players as well.
“I will miss those moments when you’re in the locker room before matches and you’ve got someone as great as Andy sat next to you.
“It’s mad sitting next to one of your idols from a young age, and yet to not have them here anymore is obviously difficult.”
While Emma Raducanu described Murray as “old news” in the build-up to the tournament, Katie Boulter insists the 37-year-old’s retirement will leave a big hole.
“He’s been so well established in the British tennis system for so long now, he’s kind of been the one holding us all up,” she said.
It seems a bit weird not having Andy there with his rancid, stinking shoes lying next to me in the locker room
Jack Draper
“He’s been there the whole entire time, and I don’t take that for granted. I think everything that he’s done for us is incredible. I think it put British tennis on another level, and inspired so many kids.
“There’s always going to be a hole in British tennis, and I think there’s going to be a lot of people that will fill it, and hopefully I can be one of them.”
Jan Choinski is the first Briton in action on Monday as he plays against Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena.
Choinski has netted a USD100,000 (£75,820) prize for making it into the main draw for the first time, but even that will not see him part with his trusted Volvo.
Asked whether he will upgrade with his winnings, he said: “I don’t think so, it is doing all right at the moment, even though it has got a little bit of mileage on it.
“I’ve had it for five or six years now, previously I had the exact same model with slightly lower specs which did quite impressive mileage.
“I sold it when it had 320,000km. Let’s see if this one can beat it.”
Harriet Dart follows Choinski on Court 16 later in the day hoping to build on her run to the Wimbledon third round.
She said: “For me to be back in the third round of a slam again was really important, to break through that barrier again.
“I am definitely using that experience, it has definitely helped me a lot.
“In the last few weeks I have played a lot of back-to-back matches, so I feel like I am in good stead.”
