Murray deals with pressure by having fun

By Sonia Oxley

LONDON (Reuters) - If Andy Murray turns up for a match this week wearing a cricket helmet, do not be alarmed.

The third seed has been keeping up his usual tradition of fun forfeits with his support team to lighten the pressure he faces as he bids to become Britain's first Wimbledon men's singles champion since Fred Perry in 1936.

His Latvian second-round opponent Ernests Gulbis was probably wishing the Scot had been playing with a cricket bat after Murray bombarded him with some excellent serves in a near flawless 6-2 7-5 6-3 victory on Thursday.

"I thought I played well. Served really good for the whole match. Apart from the very first game where he had a couple of chances on my serve, I didn't give him another breakpoint," the 22-year-old world number three told a news conference.

"I used my variety very well. It was much, much better than the first match."

The Scot, far from convincing in a four-set first-round victory over American Robert Kendrick, made just five unforced errors against Gulbis in the one hour 28 minute match.

"I didn't make many mistakes from the ground. When I did get myself into a point on his service game I made him work very hard for the points. I hit some good passing shots and finished points when I was inside the court," he said.

As light relief, Murray and his team have this week been playing their usual "football-tennis" -- which involves kicking a ball over the net -- to warm up in training sessions and whoever loses has to do a forfeit.