Old jokes fall flat with Andy Murray

By Ossian Shine

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Heard the one about the British winner at a grand slam event? It's the guy who finds an extra strawberry in his punnet at Wimbledon.

As jokes go, it is hardly the most hilarious, but that is not the only reason nobody is cracking it to Andy Murray in Melbourne.

The Scottish counter-puncher is seeded fourth for next week's Australian Open and, enjoying great form, would seem a very real prospect to end Britain's 73-year wait for a men's grand slam winner.

Not since Fred Perry won the U.S. Open in 1936 has a man from the home of tennis held aloft a grand slam trophy.

Bunny Austin came close, reaching the Wimbledon final in 1938. Canadian-export-turned-Londoner Greg Rusedski reached the U.S. final in 1997 and Murray himself fell at the final hurdle in New York last year.

Tim Henman flirted with a series of semi-finals but was always the bridesmaid, never the bride.

John Lloyd scrapped back from two sets down before handing Vitas Gerulaitis the Australian Open 6-2 in the fifth set in 1977.

And that has been about it.