IT'S a new dawn and a new day at Wimbledon. As Tim Henman braces himself to drop to his lowest ranking since 1996, super Scot Andy Murray has another chance to make inroads on the world's top 100.
After celebrating the routing of 13th seed Radek Stepanek on Thursday, Murray has the weight of the British public on his shoulders when he aims to upset the odds again against Argentina's David Nalbandian today.
At 18, the talented teenager insists there is little chance of a repeat performance when he takes to court against the 2002 finalist.
Even at his tender age, Murray's claims will not be heeded by the country's tennis lovers after Henman's second-round exit to Russian Dmitry Tursonov, his earliest this decade, two days ago.
"I'll lose my next match," Murray said. "Nalbandian is top ten in the world and he's been to a Wimbledon final. I've won two matches at Wimbledon, two matches at Queen's, and I'm only 18.
"I've got no experience playing in these matches and it's going to be very difficult for me. Nalbandian is much more consistent than Stepanek."
Murray, the former US Open junior title winner, may try to play down his chances of reaching the second week's play but that masks a player with undoubted potential that has the talent to lead British tennis into a new era.
The mere fact he will have rocketed from his present 312 position this week, regardless of the outcome today in front of a show-court crowd, is enough for him.
But he does not want to try to hide a determination to reach the top at some stage of what should be a glittering career.
"I have a lot of belief in myself but I wasn't coming into the tournament with a lot of expectations because I was injured last week and didn't get so much practice," he said.
"But I think the way I've played in the last two matches shows I don't really feel any pressure. I just enjoy myself when I'm out there and I think that's why I'm playing well."
Standing in the way of Murray and the fourth round is Nalbandian. The South American, who beat Henman at Wimbledon in 2003, is relishing the challenge of putting up with a patriotic crowd once again.
"I didn't really know him but I know I have to be careful - he is in the third round so he must be playing good," said the 18th seed, who will pose a stern baseline test for Murray.
"Of course everybody will be with him - he's the only one left so there should be a lot of people supporting him. But that is okay. It gives me a little extra motivation, and I like to play like this."
While Murray has shown signs of thriving on the intensity and the hype, Henman's dreadful exit has almost certainly ended his chances of glory at Wimbledon.
The 30-year-old's feeble capitulation against Tursunov means he will have dropped from his ninth placing when the rankings are announced after the last strawberries have been sold at SW19.
Another depressing showing at the US Open in August, where he needs to defend the points gained from reaching the semi-finals last year, and he will slip outside the top 20.
The four-time Wimbledon semi-finalist has never finished a season in that category for nine years. However, his former coach David Felgate believes Henman would be stupid to contemplate retirement.
"On the break points he had on Thursday Tursunov served great," said Felgate, now the Lawn Tennis Association's performance director.
"In the past he's won so many of those matches and this time it didn't go his way.
"He hasn't played his best but I'm sure he'll be back.
"I read his transcript and I thought he put it perfectly. He's going to be around number ten in the world after this and would you retire at number ten?
"That answers the question. It's stupidity. It's up to him what he does with his career and why would he retire?"
Henman is 31 in September and time looks to have run out on him becoming the first home winner since Fred Perry in 1936.
But, in Murray, there's a new kid on the block for tennis fans to hope that drought will come to an end in the not too distant future.
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