Mystery solved: Murray's hot friend revealed, one more to go

A-ha! One mystery solved in the case of Andy Murray's hot-ass friends.

The cutie on the far right of the picture from yesterday's post is Venezuelan Dani Vallverdu, the Brit baller's doubles partner at Queen's Club this week and old friend from the Sanchez-Casal Academy days.


Andy's site gives us the low down on Dani but doesn't let us in on which "team" he plays for (sorry Isa!). Let's take a read:

If you've seen the doubles draw for the Artois Championships, you'll have noticed that Andy is playing with his good friend and junior doubles partner Dani Vallverdu.

Dani is a a four time All-American college tennis player based at the University of Miami where he's a business management major.

He's also an old classmate of Andy's from the Sanchez academy in Barcelona and has since gone on to represent Venezuela in Davis Cup.

The guys play Richard Gasquet and Nicolas Mahut in the first round, so we caught up with Dani to find out a bit more about him.

Ed: So how did you and Andy first meet?

Dani: I remember being at Sanchez, playing on a hardcourt there, and I was told to play with him. I thought he was pretty confident in himself! A couple of days later we had dinner together at the college and I realised I had the wrong impression of him. He's a really nice guy; we've been good friends ever since.

Ed: Did you guys come into contact much at Sanchez?

Dani: Yeah, we practiced a lot, but he travelled a lot too. You know, he would be gone for a couple of weeks, and then he would come back. It was fun when he was based at the dorms, but then he moved. It was a bit harder to see as much of him then.

Ed: You guys had a decent record in junior doubles right?

Dani: Yeah. We started playing when we were 17, played five tournaments together. We won four of them, but had to pull out of the fifth; I had to go play qualies for the US Open juniors. We were good.

Ed: We don't see so much of him on a doubles court, what was he like to play with back then?

Dani: He's an unbelievable doubles player. He's got great feel. You know, we had a lot of fun on court together. He didn't take it so seriously. Singles was his job, doubles was a different opportunity.

Ed: So playing doubles with him on the ATP tour must be a big thing for you?

Dani: It's been a dream since I was little, you know, to play on a show court at an ATP tournament. They're probably gonna be wondering who the hell this guy is! No, because it's the UK, I know we'll get good support; people will be cheering for us.

Ed: Nervous?

Dani: I'll be a little nervous for sure, first couple of games. But once I settle in, I'll just try my best, and enjoy it.

Ed: And what do the rest of your team back in Miami make of it?

Dani: They're really happy for me. We've been talking on MSN, so they know all about it. They'll be supporting for sure.

Ed: Can't imagine there were many grass courts in Venezuela growing up?!

Dani: Yeah, the first couple of days playing on grass was difficult, but I'm feeling rally comfortable on it now. I don't think it'll be a problem. It's my first time around a grass court tournament, and it's amazing. Everyone is talking about it, everyone is interested; you go out in Wimbledon village and you can see all the players. It'll be good.

Never really watched doubles but I may have to now...well, at least Murray's matches.

*Via Down the Line!

(image via andymurray.com)