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Nadal rooting for 'good guy' Murray

Rafael Nadal ended Andy Murray's Wimbledon bid last year © Getty Images

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Rafael Nadal insists there will be no room for sympathy when he takes on Andy Murray in their Wimbledon semi-final, but admits the British No. 1 deserves to win his first grand slam.

Murray faces Nadal in the semi-finals for the second successive year at the All England Club, and the defending champion has revealed that if he loses on Friday afternoon, he will be rooting for Murray in Sunday's final.

Murray is bidding to become the first British men's Wimbledon finalist since Bunny Austin in 1938, and Nadal believes Murray is his toughest opponent never to have won a major.

"Of all the players I have played in my career, he's probably the best who has not won a slam," Nadal told the Daily Telegraph. "I cannot feel sorry for Andy that he has not won a grand slam, though. I cannot think like that before a match. I am sure he's going to win a slam - but hopefully not this time.

"If I have to say one player who I would want to win a grand slam if it's not me, I would say it's Andy. He is playing really well this year - he reached the final in Australia, the semi-finals in Roland Garros, now another time in the semi-finals here, so he is doing really well. He's got very close to winning a slam.

"Novak Djokovic has already won a lot of things this year. Juan Martin del Potro has won a grand slam. Del Potro's a fantastic player, but he got to the semi-finals of a grand slam once and he went on to win. Andy has been there seven times in the semi-finals. When you look at his career he deserves to win a grand slam."

Murray and Nadal have been friends since they were juniors, and the Spaniard believes Murray is one of tennis' "good guys".

"I like him. He's a good guy. That's why I think it would be fair if he won a grand slam," Nadal said. "The first thing is that I always want to wish the best to the good guys, the good people, and he's a good person.

"I always go with the good people, not with the bad people or arrogant people. I know Andy is not like this. He's a normal guy. He hasn't changed with all the victories. That's always a very positive thing for our sport, in my opinion, a positive example for all the kids and everybody. I think we've always had a very good relationship and we still do."

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