'Booty' and 'Stretch' Enjoy Doubles Win on Day One

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Britain’s Jamie Murray and his American doubles partner Eric Butorac made a successful start to their Artois Championships campaign, delighting the Centre Court crowd throughout a 6-1, 7-6(1) victory over Ivan Ljubicic and Ernests Gulbis on day one.

“It went well,” said Murray. “We played a great first set. We returned well. I don't think they volleyed particularly well. It was important we made a lot of returns. We did that, won the first set pretty easy.

“I guess we were starting to get a little bit frustrated [in the second set] because once you get to a tie-break, anything can happen really. Fortunately we made a couple of good points to start on their serve. We got a big lead. That was that.”

Butorac and Murray, nicknamed Booty and Stretch, have been growing in popularity on the doubles circuit this year and even have their own web site, www.bootyandstretch.com.

The duo captured their first title together in San Jose earlier this year and backed it up by winning in Memphis. And the two believe the grass at The Queen’s Club could favour their games. “It's our style,” said Murray. “It's like fast, bang, bang, bang. Whereas with clay, you obviously have to work the points a bit more. We got a lot more cheap points on our serve. Don't have to work for the points so much, which is obviously easier. It helps playing in front of that crowd. We were really fired up to do well and we did that.”

For Butorac, who wasn’t ranked high enough to make it into the draw at the Artois Championships 12 months ago, it was a dream come true to play on Centre Court. “I remember walking by Centre Court,” recalled Butorac. “It's just breathtaking to look at the grass, the red background. Maybe the greatest Centre Court in tennis, you know. At that stage, I'm ranked a hundred in the world, not playing with a Brit either, I didn't really ever envision myself ever walking on that court.

“Then today to go out there in front of a full crowd, that's what you think about when you're growing up, you want to be a pro tennis player, to go onto a big Stadium Court, have a full crowd, to play a great match.”

Butorac and Murray will now meet Ashley Fisher and Tripp Phillips for a place in the quarterfinals.

Meanwhile, British duo Jamie Delgado and Ross Hutchins earned a second round meeting with three-time champions Bob and Mike Bryan after defeating Americans Amer Delic and Mardy Fish on Centre Court. Delgado and Hutchins came through 7-5, 6-4.

Also: Listen to 'Booty' and 'Strecth' in the "Doubles Zone" in Episode 6 of the Artois Tennis Podcast