Perturbed Jeremy Chardy has chance to prove Andy Murray wrong

Jeremy Chardy said the was a little annoyed that Andy Murray withdrew from the Rome Masters, citing exhaustion, after beating the Frenchman 6-4, 6-3, and he hopes to exact some revenge when the two meet Monday at the French Open.

France’s Jeremy Chardy has a score to settle with Andy Murray after Rome. Julian Finney / Getty Images

PARIS // If Frenchman Jeremy Chardy needed any extra motivation when he takes on Britain’s Andy Murray in the last 16 of the French Open, he only has to cast his mind back a few weeks.

Chardy was drawn to play the in-form Murray in the second round at the Rome Masters 1000 event and lost 6-4, 6-3, but was angered when Murray pulled out in the next round, claiming tiredness.

Add the fact Murray now has a French connection through his coach Amelie Mauresmo and the eighth meeting between the two players has a bit going on.

Chardy said the was a little annoyed.

“I mean, when you are starting a tournament and he beat me first round, and he’s so confident and he wants to be one of the best players, win a grand slam,” he said.

“If you want to win a grand slam, everybody is tired, for me.

“He retired because of tiredness, but it’s his choice, and, I mean, for the moment he’s doing well.

“So if he wins Roland Garros, everybody will say it was a good choice.

“If he loses, it will be wrong.”

Chardy, the only one of the five Frenchmen to reach the fourth round who is not seeded, said Mauresmo being in Murray’s camp should make no difference to the home support.

“Amelie did a really great job with Andy, but the support will be for me, because Amelie stopped to play now,” Chardy said. “So it is a guy from England against a French guy, so I hope the crowd will be 100 per cent for me.”

Chardy reached the last 16 once before, in 2008, and Murray has twice been to the semi-finals, losing to Rafa Nadal both times, most recently last year.

Murray faces Chardy after defeating Australian wildchild Nick Kyrgios, whom the Scot said “wasn’t serving as big as usual” on Saturday.

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