Andy Murray reveals his late-night pact to play mixed doubles with Emma Raducanu at Wimbledon... with Scot 'worried' fellow Brit would already be asleep and miss his text!

Andy Murray said it will be 'brilliant' to play mixed doubles with Emma Raducanu, after the only two active British Grand Slam champions made a late night pact to pair up at Wimbledon.

The dream pairing for British fans was announced on Wednesday morning, and after his practice session for the men's double with brother Jamie, Murray said: 'We'd spoken about it a few years ago during the Covid year but both of us were doing quite well in the singles and it didn't happen. 

'Yesterday I was chatting to my team and we were discussing mixed and last night I messaged her coach and asked if he thought it might be something she'd be up for doing. He said it was worth asking, so I did.

'Thankfully I got quite a quick reply! It was quite late yesterday evening when I sent the message, it would have been after 9pm so I was a bit worried she might have been in bed.

'But I got a quick reply. She said: "Yeah, let's do it".

'It should be fun. I have played mixed doubles a few times when I was young and then the last time was with Serena. 

'I really enjoyed it, it's something we rarely get to do. And to get a chance to do it with Emma…well, it's my last chance to do it, so it should be good.'

With the Murray brothers likely to play their first round on Thursday and the mixed beginning Friday or Saturday, it is very possible that the two-time singles champion's last match at Wimbledon will be with Raducanu.

Asked if, once he had decided to play mixed, there were any other names under consideration, Murray replied: 'I chatted a little bit with my team about it and they were saying what exactly do you want to get out of it?

'Firstly we want to be competitive in the matches. And then playing with another Brit as well is something that would be nice.

'She's obviously one of the top, top British players and she would have been top of the list, yeah.'

Murray is a highly accomplished doubles player but Raducanu has played only one professional match in her career, in the Washington Open in 2022 with Danish player Clara Tauson. 

But Murray had no worries about his new partner's abilities: 'She's obviously unbelievably competitive and likes playing in the big stadiums with crowds so I expect she'll deal with that really well.

'A lot of the skills from singles translate well to doubles. 

'She's a brilliant returner and great ball striker so I'd imagine she'll deal with returning guys' serves well. And when she's getting into exchanges at the back of the court she'll be really good. So I'd imagine she'd be absolutely fine, yeah.'