Nick Bollettieri's Wimbledon Dossier: Murray mastery remains mystery

Andy Murray (GB) v Xavier Malisse (Bel), Centre Court

Andy Murray did what was necessary yesterday on Centre Court to beat Xavier Malisse, but it's difficult to draw too many conclusions of how well Murray can play against better opposition from this one match because Malisse wasn't in it.

In a nutshell, his movement was poor, and the result boiled down to lack of said movement. He was often in no position to make effective use of the ball, and if you're not hitting the ball well, then you're not going to win points. I said in the preview that Murray would win, and that this might be Xavier's last stand. I didn't think it would be as dramatically emphatic.

Malisse has not played a lot this year, and so it was a tall order anyway on grass against Murray. I had a vested interest because I have known Xavier for many years since he came to us as an outcast teenager from Belgian tennis. I had hoped on his behalf that he could do damage. He certainly has the talent and ability, when fit and well and focused. And I felt perhaps the stage would inspire him. But that was not the case. And even when he did hit a few good balls, Murray found them all too easy to run down.

Andy's serve was the part of his game that I think looked in particularly good shape. His kickers and his power were both on the money, and Malisse couldn't handle it. Heck! Xavier was having such a bad time of it out there that he didn't even have a problem with his emotions, as has often been the case when he's gone a little bit crazy.

Off the court, I've never seen him be anything other than calm and kind, and I've never seen him lose his temper. On court, he can lose it totally. He's two different people.

Our sport has a habit of throwing up these Jekyll and Hyde characters, and I've had the privilege and pain of working with some of the finest nuts in the game. Marcelo Rios was the epitome of serious competitiveness on a tennis court, his application incredible. He really could have been one of the all-time greats. Away from the court he was a selfish guy, tight with his money, and he often even had no time for kids wanting autographs. Boy, oh boy, could the leftie from Chile be a sour pussycat.

Probably the craziest girl I worked with was Bulgaria's Sesil Karatantcheva, who long after she'd cut ties with the academy was banned for steroids. But it was her mouth and her impetuous nature that got her into trouble. A lot of tennis fans will recall the occasion when she was a teenager, 14 or thereabouts, and she was about to play Maria Sharapova, and she said she'd "kick her ass off". When I heard that, I thought she must have a screw loose and she was, of course, subsequently blasted away by Maria.

Sesil was dedicated in her own way. Tell her to run through a fence and she'd do it. Tell her to jump 20ft in the air and she'd try till the sun went down. But she was a wild one, and I have to say that if we'd been left alone to develop her without her father thinking he knew best, I still believe should could have been a top player. She's still not 20 yet.

On the subject of Maria, I could see early on yesterday she was struggling. Her racket follow-through was wrong, she wasn't moving well under pressure, she wasn't hitting from inside the baseline as she likes to. I know how she was struggling but, like her, don't yet have a clue why.

Today's Big Match: Amélie Mauresmo v Serena Williams

Whatever shape Serena is in physically – as long as she's not actually carrying one of her knee or ankle injuries – she's going to be hard to beat. And if she had a disappointing French Open, then so did Amélie, who couldn't hit a decent forehand at Roland Garros. It's time to send out a search party of Navy Seals to find the fighter in Amélie, the woman who finally managed to win Slams, including this title in 2006. It's in the mind with this lady, and if it clicks upstairs, she can be a contender. But it's not clicking and it shows on court. Serena's power game could lead to unforced Mauresmo errors, especially on that forehand, and I think Amélie might play too many short defensive balls that Serena will attack. Amélie's prayer lies in finding winners: using those guns to battle force with force. Keeping the ball in play is not going to help Amélie defeat Serena. Mauresmo needs belief. She should walk out thinking, and believing: "Hey, girl! I'm a Slam winner too, you know."

Safin's on a roll if he can rock

Andreas Seppi's got excellent groundstrokes and can change the pace with his chops and slices, but I take Marat Safin to defeat the Italian in their match today. Has Safin got the ability? Hell, yes! The ability to beat anyone in the event, Nadal and Federer included. But the persistent question is whether the lights are on and he's coming out to rock today. If he is, he can be an easy winner. If not, forget it. In the women's singles, I'll take my student Nicole Vaidisova to beat Casy Dellacqua, an Australian, in three sets. But a similar proviso applies: Nicole needs to believe this match is hers for the taking, which it is on pure ability. Her serve needs to be on and, if it is, that gives her the platform to dominate and show everyone again why not so long ago she was a genuine Slam contender who can be again.

For more picks and a full record of what happens to my predictions, visit:

www.nickstennispicks.com

Nick's tips to improve your game

Tip No4: Prepare for the ball

A study has shown that 73 per cent of all tennis players do not begin to react effectively to incoming balls until the ball bounces on their own side of the net. The 27 per cent who do react – and effective reaction means moving early and shaping for the return – will include all good pros. A drill I use with some students is to shout the word "ball" out loud the moment the ball comes off the opponent's racket. It is a clear message to the brain to home in. The mind rapidly needs to digest four factors (ball height, speed, spin and direction), and shouting "ball" is the starter's pistol. It takes a second or less from racket to bounce (unless we're lobbing or playing fancy Dan) but that's an age for the brain, and vastly more than from bounce to racket. In the same way repetitive action can build "muscle memory", "ball!" trains early focus.

Win a week at Bollettieri Tennis Academy

Want to win a week's stay at my Florida academy, on me? Again, I'm running a competition in this column to give you the chance to travel to America and train in the footsteps of Andre Agassi, Maria Sharapova and other top players.

To enter, just email to tell me who you think is going to win today's big match. I'm looking for a scoreline, and a forecast of the manner in which your pick will win. Each day, I'll select a daily winner, with the overall winner drawn from all those at the end of the tournament.

Yesterday's winner for Murray-Malisse was Dan Mulreany (spot on with 6-4, 6-2, 6-2), who goes into the hat for the prize. The competition is open to all ages: your trip will be tailored to your requirements, junior or adult. I'll cover tuition, accommodation and meals. You buy the air ticket. Last year's winner was reader Rachel O'Reilly, whose diary of her time in Florida can be read in full in the sports section of this newspaper's website. To enter, email me before the match starts at: n.bollettieri@independent.co.uk

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