Andy Murray backs Nalbandian, blames Queen’s Club officials

Andy Murray takes a radically diametric stance to the wave of opinions lashing against David Nalbandian’s unsportsmanlike behaviour at the Queen’s Club, saying that it was injudicious on the match officials’ part to organise an on-court interview immediately after the Argentine lost his temper and kicked a wooden hoarding, which injured a line judge.

“They should have taken him off the court and protected him”, the current number four player in the world said, adding, “He ended up saying things that he probably didn’t mean to say, but you’ve got to protect the players. He was very angry. You could see clearly that he was still arguing. He was shaking his head when he was walking up and as soon as he said ‘but’ they should have taken the microphone away.”

Notably, Nalbandian was disqualified from the Aegon Championships final after pouring his rage on a line judge who had to leave the pitch nursing a bleeding leg. The Argentine picked apart the Association of Tennis during the subsequent interview, which did not do him any good.

In a bid to defend Nalbandian, the Scot said anything can happen in a feat of boiling anger and what Nalbandian did was probably one of those uncontrollable moments when things don’t go according to plans.

“I’ve never felt like putting my foot through something, but it happens”, Murray said, indicating that Nalbandian’s long tour might have had a role to play behind his sudden outburst.

Meanwhile, Murray today has been declared the first member of team GB for the 2012 Olympics.

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