Murray hoping to surpass Wimbledon

Andy Murray © Gallo Images

Andy Murray can be better than when he won Wimbledon, he suggested before taking little more than half an hour to win his first match in four months on the ATP world Tour in Doha on Tuesday.

Murray, a 6-0, 6-0 winner against Mousa Zayed in the first round of the Qatar Open, is making a comeback from surgery on a back injury which has also caused pain in a leg and a foot. It even required him to complete his historic grass court success against Novak Djokovic in July with physical discomfort.

But the brief evidence of Tuesday's mismatch victory over a local wild card entry is that the surgery may have been a success and that both his freedom of movement and his potential may have improved.

For the moment though Murray's words suggest more than his actions. 'I guess with most surgeries you are trying to be better than you were before - and so far the results have been good,' he said ominously.

'I haven't lost any strength, I was training two weeks after the surgery, I was on the bike and everything has been going well.

'I don't feel like I've lost speed, or strength. But I will know better when I'm playing matches against the best players in the world. It's one thing doing all this stuff in the gym and in practice but until I start doing it in matches - that's where the confidence will come from.

Murray had never previously described exactly what the injury was which decided him to risk an operation so very soon after becoming the first British player in 77 years to win Wimbledon, but now he did.

'It's quite difficult to explain,' he ventured. 'There's a lot of things which were a problem. But what exactly the one thing that it was, you know, I may not necessarily know, but I am hoping that the procedure I had done works.

'I was getting a lot of pain in my lower back, down my leg and into my foot. They were the symptoms I had but they could have been caused by quite a few different things.'

Asked how he coped with such discomfort at Wimbledon, he said: 'I don't want to go into what shots it was hurting on, but the surface helped. The lower bounce, the quicker court - you don't have to generate and rotate as much to generate the power.'

A likely outcome of that memorable triumph is that Murray's acclaim will continue to increase as time passes. He is already more popular now than then, and far more celebrated than two years ago.

'In the last couple of years the support has been getting better and better, and it does make a big difference when you are playing Wimbledon, or Olympics, or Davis Cup. And I've played pretty much my best tennis in those situations when I have had the crowd with me,' he said.

'I think the (BBC) Sports Personality thing was nice,' Murray said of his capture of the prestigious annual television award. 'I would have liked to have been there but now everyone understands what my priorities are and it was something that I couldn't do.'

That was a reference to the overwhelming need to train, practise, rehab and recover at his training base in Miami, where he was presented with the BBC award by Martina Navratilova.

It also implied that there is a growing understanding and appreciation of a personality which in his younger days could seem shy, which in his early tour years might appear dour and guarded, and which is more often now seen as loyal, dedicated and tenacious.

'Obviously the awards and stuff would suggest that,' he said. 'But the best people to ask are the public. I don't feel like it's me that's best to answer that. You know winning those sort of awards suggests that it (the public attitude) has changed a bit and I hope it continues.'

Wimbledon 1969 champion Jones gets CBE in Queen's honors

Credit: Reuters/Toby Melville

Former British tennis players Anne Jones (L) and Tim Henman talk on Centre Court at the 2010 Wimbledon tennis championships in London, June 24, 2010.

Jones, who won the Venus Rosewater Dish in 1969 by beating American Billie-Jean King in the final, was made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE).

The award to Jones came at a time when Wimbledon men's champion Andy Murray had been tipped for a knighthood but was surprisingly omitted from the list.

Murray, awarded an OBE (Order of the British Empire) last year, ended a 77-year wait for a British men's champion at the All England Club when he beat Serbia's Novak Djokovic in the final in July.

Former 10,000 meters world record holder David Bedford, a key figure in organizing the London Marathon for a decade until 2012, was awarded an OBE.

'I had an exciting and eventful athletics career but I'm more proud to be part of an incredible event whose fundraising has totaled over half a billion pounds for charitable causes since its inception, and attracts the world's best distance runners to London each year. London is viewed by most people as the best marathon in the world,' Bedford was quoted as saying.

Other sports personalities on the list include former England cricketer Geoff Miller, who has just retired as a test team selector, was also awarded an OBE.

'It's marvelous to see Geoff recognized in this way for the outstanding service he has given to cricket over the past five decades - firstly as a player for Derbyshire, Essex and England, and more recently as our national selector,' said England Cricket Board chief executive officer David Collier.

Former Football Association chairman David Bernstein was made a CBE for services to football.

Women's football was honored with an OBE for Rachel Yankey, the most capped England player, having been made an MBE (Member of the British Empire) in 2006, and Katy McLean, captain of the England women's rugby union team, was made an MBE.

A woman involved in men's football, West Ham United vice-chairman Karren Brady, was made a CBE for services to entrepreneurship and women in business.

Stuart Cummings, a former rugby league referee who retired as the sports' match officials director earlier this year, was made a MBE.

(Writing by Rex Gowar, editing by Pritha Sarkar)

Former FA chief Bernstein tops New Year Honours List as Wimbledon champion ...

By Martyn Ziegler, Press Association

PUBLISHED: 17:30 EST, 30 December 2013 | UPDATED: 17:48 EST, 30 December 2013

Former Football Association chairman David Bernstein leads the list of sporting awards in the New Year Honours List but there is nothing for Wimbledon winner Andy Murray.

Bernstein is made a CBE for services to football, but expectations have been dashed that Murray - who received an OBE a year ago after winning Olympic gold and the US Open in 2012 - would also be recognised after becoming the first Briton to win the Wimbledon men's singles since 1936.

Speculation that David Beckham was in line for a knighthood after announcing his retirement from football has also proved unfounded.

Bernstein, who stepped down in July after reaching the age limit of 70, said he believed the honour also recognised his previous roles as chairman of Manchester City and Wembley.

'I think this honour relates to all my 20 years in football and I am really delighted,' he said.

'I had 10 years at Manchester City and it was a fantastic period to be involved at a key moment in its history, getting the club back on its feet and organising the deal for the new stadium.

'It was then enormously satisfying to be involved with Wembley through its construction phase to see it become the greatest stadium in the world.

Bernstein, who becomes chairman of British Red Cross from January 1, added: 'My greatest satisfaction at the FA was being involved with development at the grassroots and in disabled football, and then in anti-discrimination culminating in the report to the Prime Minister.'

Murray may have missed out but one former Wimbledon winner is recognised - Ann Jones, who beat Billie Jean King to win the 1969 Ladies title, receives a CBE after many years of work in tennis administration.

Other notable recipients include a CBE for West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady, for services to entrepreneurship and women in business, and an OBE to London Marathon race director Dave Bedford, a former 10,000m world record holder.

Geoff Miller, who has retired as England cricket's national selector after a seven-year period which included three Ashes triumphs and England becoming world number one, receives an OBE.

Professor Peter Sonksen, the scientist who spearheaded the test for human growth hormone, receives an OBE.

Sonksen has worked on anti-doping with the International Olympic Committee since 1992 and his team project GH-2000 developed a test for the hormone that was used for the first time at the London 2012 Olympics.

Sonksen, emeritus professor at King's College, London, said: 'I was thrilled to discover I was to receive this honour - it was completely unexpected.

'It has been a very important step in anti-doping to develop this test, but the work must go on.

'Doping is still a big problem and will not go away - the cheats are always ahead of the testers and it is a running battle.'

An MBE goes to Stuart Cummings, the much-respected rugby league referee who retired as RFL match officials director earlier this year.

RFL chief executive Nigel Wood led the tributes to Cummings.

Wood said: 'I would like to congratulate Stuart on being awarded the MBE for his services to the sport.

'Stuart did an outstanding job for the RFL in his different roles both on and off the field and this recognition is richly deserved.

'Given the intense scrutiny referees face, it is to Stuart's credit that he always fulfilled what is often the hardest job in rugby league with diligence, dignity and, above all, integrity.'

Cummings added: 'I am really pleased with the way things turned out and I am pleased my career has been marked in this way.'

Rachel Yankey, the most capped England women's footballer, receives at OBE to add to the MBE she won in 2006, and there is an MBE for Katy McLean, captain of the England women's rugby union team.

Yankey said: 'This very special award means a great deal to me, and I'm incredibly proud to have my work on and off the pitch recognised in this way.

'I have to say I owe Arsenal a great deal for kick-starting my coaching and playing career. I started out as an 'Arsenal in the Community' trainee, which is where my love of coaching and working with children began.

'As an Arsenal Ladies player, I have been lucky enough to play with some of the best players in the country and to help contribute to the club's unbelievable history.

'To be recognised for my youth work too, with the Rachel Yankey Football Programme, my community football team Gibbons Wreckers Youth FC and the Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust, is totally humbling.'

McLean, who has won 65 caps, said her honour can serve as both a reward and an inspiration for women and girls in the sport.

She said: 'It's a truly amazing honour, something in my career I never thought I would receive.

'This kind of award just shows how much our sport is growing and going in the right direction.'

LATEST SPORT COLUMNS FOOTBALLERS' FOOTBALL COLUMN ARCHIVE SPORTSMAIL HALL OF FAME

Wimbledon 1969 champion Jones gets CBE in Queen's honours

Reuters, 31/12 09:41 CET

LONDON (Reuters) - Former Wimbledon champion Anne Jones was among British sports personalities included in the United Kingdom's New Year's honours list on Monday.

Jones, who won the Venus Rosewater Dish in 1969 by beating American Billie-Jean King in the final, was made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE).

The award to Jones came at a time when Wimbledon men's champion Andy Murray had been tipped for a knighthood but was surprisingly omitted from the list.

Murray, awarded an OBE (Order of the British Empire) last year, ended a 77-year wait for a British men's champion at the All England Club when he beat Serbia's Novak Djokovic in the final in July.

Former 10,000 metres world record holder David Bedford, a key figure in organising the London Marathon for a decade until 2012, was awarded an OBE.

'I had an exciting and eventful athletics career but I'm more proud to be part of an incredible event whose fundraising has totalled over half a billion pounds for charitable causes since its inception, and attracts the world's best distance runners to London each year. London is viewed by most people as the best marathon in the world,' Bedford was quoted as saying.

Other sports personalities on the list include former England cricketer Geoff Miller, who has just retired as a test team selector, was also awarded an OBE.

'It's marvellous to see Geoff recognised in this way for the outstanding service he has given to cricket over the past five decades - firstly as a player for Derbyshire, Essex and England, and more recently as our national selector,' said England Cricket Board chief executive officer David Collier.

Former Football Association chairman David Bernstein was made a CBE for services to football.

Women's football was honoured with an OBE for Rachel Yankey, the most capped England player, having been made an MBE (Member of the British Empire) in 2006, and Katy McLean, captain of the England women's rugby union team, was made an MBE.

A woman involved in men's football, West Ham United vice-chairman Karren Brady, was made a CBE for services to entrepreneurship and women in business.

Stuart Cummings, a former rugby league referee who retired as the sports' match officials director earlier this year, was made a MBE.

(Writing by Rex Gowar, editing by Pritha Sarkar)

euronews provides breaking news articles from Reuters as a service to its readers, but does not edit the articles it publishes.

Copyright 2013 Reuters.

WIMBLEDON'S OCTAGONAL SCHOOL – 254 YEARS OLD AND STILL ...

WIMBLEDON'S OCTAGONAL SCHOOL - 254 YEARS OLD AND STILL COUNTING

5:00am Tuesday 31st December 2013 in News By The Wimbledon Society

The Wimbledon Free School as it was known after 1773. Pictured in 1810 as drawn by the artist Porden.

As Wimbledon schools face the prospect of growing class numbers in the near future, a unique landmark beside the Common recalls how far back the question of local education really goes. The two-storey octagonal building in Camp Road first opened for lessons exactly 254 years ago this week on 31 December 1759. Known as the Wimbledon Charity School, it was the brainchild of Rev John Cooksey (1707-1777), vicar at St Mary's, who had worked for three years to get it off the ground as a means of teaching poor children to read the Bible and learn basic writing skills.

He persuaded the Vestry, Wimbledon's local authority of the day, to establish a committee of wealthy local residents who would fund the building. They convinced the Lord of the Manor, Earl Spencer, to permit the enclosure of two acres of the Common and the octagon was duly built there. It contained both the classroom for 50 pupils and the teacher's accommodation. Some of the pupils came from the workhouse next door - now the site of the almshouses - and were to be trained for domestic service.

Unfortunately problems arose and the schoolmasters conflicted with parish officials. Mr Lewis, third candidate to be interviewed for the post in 1759, cheated on his application form and was rejected immediately. Many years passed but in 1773 the place was renamed the Wimbledon Free School, the building underwent repairs and a minute-book was introduced to keep clear records. Joseph Andrews and his wife were appointed to teach 50 boys and 50 girls and stayed for 15 years. Arithmetic was added to the curriculum in 1778.

Funded by subscription, the Free School was supported by several famous local residents, including Earl Spencer, the future Prime Minister Lord Rockingham, and Lord Nelson and Emma Hamilton. The anti-slavery campaigner William Wilberforce was treasurer of the school during the 1780s, his uncle having been one of the original trustees.

Then, 200 years ago in 1813, there was another name change when it became the Wimbledon National School, linked to the National Society for the Education of the Poor in the Principles of the Established Church. The octagonal building was extended in 1834 and again after 1870.

During the later 19th century the name changed yet again to the Old Central School. In 1889, John William Selby, the longest serving headmaster (1873-1919), was the first chairman of the Old Central football club which later became Wimbledon FC and played on the Common during its formative years.

Octagon House, Woodhayes, where Rev John Cooksey lived. This property shared a common design with the school house. Both were built by William Jennings. The watercolour by John Hassell (1767-1825) dates from 1825.

The Old Central name lasted until 1966 when the Church of England transferred its operation to the newly built Bishop Gilpin Primary School building in Lake Road and the octagonal building was taken over by the new Merton Council. Partly rebuilt, it reopened as the William Wilberforce School for children with learning difficulties but later in 1992 it was sold to The Study Preparatory School for girls and refurbished once more. Since then it has been used for the younger pupils of this private school.

Written to mark the octagonal school's 250th anniversary in 2008, the book A Firm Foundation - The Story of Old Central/Bishop Gilpin School, Wimbledon, 1758-2008, by John Harvey tells the full story. It covers lesser known characters such as Betty Syrett, a descendant of Wimbledon's first postman (see Heritage story 23 August 2013) and a pupil at Old Central 1926-32. She vividly recalls being introduced to laundry work and playing hockey coached by the fearsome headmaster, Major Bernard Ogden. Copies of the book are available from the Museum of Wimbledon at 22 Ridgway.

WIMBLEDON'S OCTAGONAL SCHOOL – 254 YEARS OLD AND STILL ...

WIMBLEDON'S OCTAGONAL SCHOOL - 254 YEARS OLD AND STILL COUNTING

5:00am Tuesday 31st December 2013 in News By The Wimbledon Society

The Wimbledon Free School as it was known after 1773. Pictured in 1810 as drawn by the artist Porden.

As Wimbledon schools face the prospect of growing class numbers in the near future, a unique landmark beside the Common recalls how far back the question of local education really goes. The two-storey octagonal building in Camp Road first opened for lessons exactly 254 years ago this week on 31 December 1759. Known as the Wimbledon Charity School, it was the brainchild of Rev John Cooksey (1707-1777), vicar at St Mary's, who had worked for three years to get it off the ground as a means of teaching poor children to read the Bible and learn basic writing skills.

He persuaded the Vestry, Wimbledon's local authority of the day, to establish a committee of wealthy local residents who would fund the building. They convinced the Lord of the Manor, Earl Spencer, to permit the enclosure of two acres of the Common and the octagon was duly built there. It contained both the classroom for 50 pupils and the teacher's accommodation. Some of the pupils came from the workhouse next door - now the site of the almshouses - and were to be trained for domestic service.

Unfortunately problems arose and the schoolmasters conflicted with parish officials. Mr Lewis, third candidate to be interviewed for the post in 1759, cheated on his application form and was rejected immediately. Many years passed but in 1773 the place was renamed the Wimbledon Free School, the building underwent repairs and a minute-book was introduced to keep clear records. Joseph Andrews and his wife were appointed to teach 50 boys and 50 girls and stayed for 15 years. Arithmetic was added to the curriculum in 1778.

Funded by subscription, the Free School was supported by several famous local residents, including Earl Spencer, the future Prime Minister Lord Rockingham, and Lord Nelson and Emma Hamilton. The anti-slavery campaigner William Wilberforce was treasurer of the school during the 1780s, his uncle having been one of the original trustees.

Then, 200 years ago in 1813, there was another name change when it became the Wimbledon National School, linked to the National Society for the Education of the Poor in the Principles of the Established Church. The octagonal building was extended in 1834 and again after 1870.

During the later 19th century the name changed yet again to the Old Central School. In 1889, John William Selby, the longest serving headmaster (1873-1919), was the first chairman of the Old Central football club which later became Wimbledon FC and played on the Common during its formative years.

Octagon House, Woodhayes, where Rev John Cooksey lived. This property shared a common design with the school house. Both were built by William Jennings. The watercolour by John Hassell (1767-1825) dates from 1825.

The Old Central name lasted until 1966 when the Church of England transferred its operation to the newly built Bishop Gilpin Primary School building in Lake Road and the octagonal building was taken over by the new Merton Council. Partly rebuilt, it reopened as the William Wilberforce School for children with learning difficulties but later in 1992 it was sold to The Study Preparatory School for girls and refurbished once more. Since then it has been used for the younger pupils of this private school.

Written to mark the octagonal school's 250th anniversary in 2008, the book A Firm Foundation - The Story of Old Central/Bishop Gilpin School, Wimbledon, 1758-2008, by John Harvey tells the full story. It covers lesser known characters such as Betty Syrett, a descendant of Wimbledon's first postman (see Heritage story 23 August 2013) and a pupil at Old Central 1926-32. She vividly recalls being introduced to laundry work and playing hockey coached by the fearsome headmaster, Major Bernard Ogden. Copies of the book are available from the Museum of Wimbledon at 22 Ridgway.

Wimbledon 1969 champion Jones gets CBE in Queen's honors

LONDON (Reuters) - Former Wimbledon champion Anne Jones was among British sports personalities included in the United Kingdom's New Year's honors list on Monday.

Jones, who won the Venus Rosewater Dish in 1969 by beating American Billie-Jean King in the final, was made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE).

The award to Jones came at a time when Wimbledon men's champion Andy Murray had been tipped for a knighthood but was surprisingly omitted from the list.

Murray, awarded an OBE (Order of the British Empire) last year, ended a 77-year wait for a British men's champion at the All England Club when he beat Serbia's Novak Djokovic in the final in July.

Former 10,000 meters world record holder David Bedford, a key figure in organizing the London Marathon for a decade until 2012, was awarded an OBE.

'I had an exciting and eventful athletics career but I'm more proud to be part of an incredible event whose fundraising has totaled over half a billion pounds for charitable causes since its inception, and attracts the world's best distance runners to London each year. London is viewed by most people as the best marathon in the world,' Bedford was quoted as saying.

Other sports personalities on the list include former England cricketer Geoff Miller, who has just retired as a test team selector, was also awarded an OBE.

'It's marvelous to see Geoff recognized in this way for the outstanding service he has given to cricket over the past five decades - firstly as a player for Derbyshire, Essex and England, and more recently as our national selector,' said England Cricket Board chief executive officer David Collier.

Former Football Association chairman David Bernstein was made a CBE for services to football.

Women's football was honored with an OBE for Rachel Yankey, the most capped England player, having been made an MBE (Member of the British Empire) in 2006, and Katy McLean, captain of the England women's rugby union team, was made an MBE.

A woman involved in men's football, West Ham United vice-chairman Karren Brady, was made a CBE for services to entrepreneurship and women in business.

Stuart Cummings, a former rugby league referee who retired as the sports' match officials director earlier this year, was made a MBE.

(Writing by Rex Gowar, editing by Pritha Sarkar)