Andy Murray Headlines Queen's Club Field

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(May 4, 2010) Andy Murray is seeking his first title of the season and knows he will need to be at his best to successfully defend his Aegon Championships title at The Queen’s Club next month.

A year ago, Murray became the first British player since Henry "Bunny" Austin in 1938 to win the title. Next month, the Australian Open runner-up leads what organizers call "the strongest-ever field" at the popular grass-court warm up for Wimbledon.

Murray joins a line-up that contains seven of the world’s top 10 ranked players: Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Murray,  Juan Martin del Potro, Andy Roddick, Fernando Verdasco, and Jo Wilfried Tsonga have all entered, along with the current world No.11, Marin Cilic.

Despite the strength of the opposition, Murray is confident he can make a successful title defense.

 
 
"If I play my best I've got a chance of successfully defending the title and doing well at Wimbledon," said Murray. "I know it won't be easy because they are going to have a strong field this year at Queen’s, and Wimbledon always has the best players in the world. It's a great time of the year though and I'm really looking forward to it."
 
Last year, Murray won the Aegon Championships title without dropping a set. He beat former French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero in the semifinals and then James Blake in the final.
 
"Last year at Queen’s I played some really good tennis to win the tournament," Murray said.  "The attendance every year is unbelievable, and last year the final was packed out and it was a great atmosphere."
 
Murray began 2010 in style, reaching the final of the Australian Open, but has yet to reach a semifinal since Melbourne.
 
In addition to eight of the World’s top 11 players, the entry list revealed several other big names, highly ranked players and young guns with potential.
 
World No.18 Gael Monfils has signed up, as has the big-serving trio Sam Querrey, and Rome semifinalist Ivo KarlovicErnests Gulbis.