IF Scottish hailstones can’t stop him, Aidan McHugh was never likely to be put off by a summer shower at SW19. The 17-year-old from Bearsden had been leading 6-0, 5-5 when rain delays caused play to be called on the outside courts on Tuesday night, but with a little help from his friends - he got a quick pep talk from Andy Murray, with whom he has practised three or four times in the last fortnight - he wasted little time in mopping things up in a second set tie-break. He now faces Matteo Martineau of France in the third round, with growing hope he could be at least one Scot contending for silverware this weekend. McHugh was even a doubles winner, he and partner Finn Bass taking down the No 6 seeds Sebastian Baez and Juan Pablo Grassi Mazzuchi of Argentina. Hamish Stewart went down 7-5, 7-5 to Francesco Forti of Italy.
“Outdoors on astroturf when I was eight or ten I played tournaments at the weekend,” said McHugh. “It rains a lot in Scotland but on Astro you keep playing. Even it’s full-on hailstones I have finished a match.”
Constant mickey taking seems to be the basis of his friendship with the Murray camp. For example, it emerged last night that his coach Toby Smith, brother of Davis Cup captain Leon, bought him a bottle of after sun for his 17th birthday after a first round match where he was so affected by the heat that he was sick on court. “Andy said he was watching it on red button, that it was good stuff and to go for it. He is always winding me up. He picks apart any weakness in character. But it’s harmless fun. Coach Matt Little said not to worry - if they are taking the mick that means they like you.”
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