Andy Murray and the best place on Earth

The former world No 1 rarely makes things easy, either for himself, his army of fans or for journalists, as Alex Pattle found out on Centre Court

Andy Murray served up another classic on Centre Court (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

On Centre Court at Wimbledon, the match of the tournament so far is playing out between Andy Murray and Oscar Otte.

Murray has been away from the singles draw at the All England Club for four years, but his first-round match on Monday had many familiar elements of the Scot's outings of old: a lot of battling, a fair bit of stress, the threat of heartache and – ultimately – jubilation.

Two days later, the two-time champion is back at it again, this time against German qualifier Otte. The stature of Murray's opponent should ensure a fairly straightforward victory, but things have, historically, rarely been so easy for the former world No 1. Factor in his fairly recent hip surgeries, and there's an even greater chance of this meeting being more complicated than it should be.

And so it proves.

In turn, covering the match becomes more difficult than expected. The longer the encounter goes, the greater the drain on the batteries in every journalist's laptop, as the gentle collective typing – so as not to disturb the players below or surrounding supporters – becomes increasingly nervy.

There are no plug sockets by the press seats in Centre Court, see, so with 20 per cent battery left, a break in play for the roof to close and a fifth set almost inevitable, it seems a rapid exit and jog to the All England Club media centre are required.

Some writers have been in the media centre since the start of the match, watching the action on a screen and listening through headphones. They'll remain there for the entirety of the classic, which is unfolding some 25 metres away in the adjacent Centre Court building. It's understandable; it's a more controlled environment to remain composed and cover the tennis, with tea and coffee on tap and replays of many points.

But once my laptop is back at 60 per cent, I figure I'll take my chances. I can't miss the end of the match. Not this match. Murray has momentum and, if he is to win, Centre Court might just need a new roof by the time the crowd goes home.

Early in the fifth set and I'm back court-side, and – sure enough – Murray is now surging clear. The atmosphere in Centre Court was already stirring, but with the roof closed and the lights on, it's deafening in there.

Especially when Murray lands yet another outrageous lobbed winner to convert match point at 10.26pm.

Murray's post-match interview on court feels like must-see stuff, so I stick around for a few more minutes before being politely ushered out, with the 11pm curfew fast approaching.

One more stint in the media centre to tidy up a match report, maybe the most difficult I've ever had to write, and then I'm out of there. Some writers, including one or two from US publications, will stay until the early hours of Thursday morning, figuring out how to make further sense of what has just played out in SW19.

My work is done, though, so it's time to go home, leaving behind my favourite place on Earth for another year.