Murray purges memory of Cilic’s previous victory

Andy Murray will call on his selective memory when he meets Marin Cilic in the French Open today, as both players vy for a first Men’s Singles quarter-final place at Roland Garros, writes Barry Flatman in the Sunday Times.

"Few should be surprised that Andy Murray, normally a player with encyclopaedic recall, has decided to purge the last time he met Marin Cilic at the French Open from his brain," writes Flatman.

After all, Murray has since scored two victories over the 6ft 6in Croatian, "first on the familiar grass of Wimbledon’s No 1 Court in the Davis Cup 20 months ago and then a more straightforward win indoors in Madrid last October as the Scot progressed to another Masters Series title".

The French Open junior semi-final defeat Murray suffered four years ago to an opponent 16 months his junior is now deemed irrelevant, says Flatman, although he notes that "at the time it provoked a tantrum brimful of some of the Scot's more base expletives and gave us all an early glimpse of the grumpier side we would come to know so well".

Cilic, who went on to win the title in 2005, remembers the day with pride, says Flatman. By contrast Andy Murray says he prefers to "look at the matches I’ve played since I’ve grown up, because what happened in the juniors doesn’t make a difference once you get going on the main tour." ·