Wimbledon 2016: Andy Murray deletes Twitter during tournaments in attempt to avoid social media trolls
British No1 will take on Australia's John Millman on Saturday for a place in the last 16 at SW19
ANDY MURRAY dodges Twitter trolls during Wimbledon by shutting out cyberspace.
Because, away from real tennis supporters, online abuse is a growing issue for sports stars — particularly women.
British No 2 Heather Watson admitted she had punished herself after her first-round defeat by reading the vile messages idiots had sent.
But Murray has a sure-fire way of not allowing his head to be filled by the white noise of keyboard warrior morons.
The 2013 Wimbledon champ, 29, revealed: “I normally delete Twitter from my phone over the big competitions.
“If there is something I want to read about on Twitter then I just Google it.
“So I don’t read anything about myself because what is the point?
“Obviously there are a lot of people who give you support but Twitter is not always the most pleasant place to hang out. So you try to avoid it as much as you can.
“The thing that’s important after a tough loss is being around the people you like, like your family.
“They are the ones who are hurting with you and who really care about the result and make you feel better. It is tempting to read things, because that is the kind of world we live in now.
“Social media now, everyone is on it, it’s huge. But there is a time and a place for it.
“When you’ve lost a difficult match it is best to stay away.
“I’ve only been on Twitter once in the last three months and that was after Marcus Willis’ match, because it was just such a great story.”
But while No 2 seed Murray withdraws from the world to focus, today’s opponent Aussie No 3 John Millman could not be more outgoing.
He has become famed for sharing drinks with fans after matches and has been tweeting throughout his best-ever Wimbledon run.
And he loves nothing more than embracing supporters with a now trademark post-match ritual.
Millman thanks fans — or his ‘Millminions’ as they have been tagged — by giving them free cold drinks from the courtside fridge after he plays.
But the Brisbane boy, 27, said: “Here it’s so overcast that I might have to hand out hot chocolate or coffee!
“Back home, it can be pretty hot and I try to raid the fridges at most tournaments.
“The fans are sweltering there and I know if I was a little kid and wanted some drinks, I’d have loved it. Tennis is nothing without fans.
“So I think it’s always good to give back to them.”
Reaching the third round here matches Millman’s previous best Grand Slam effort, at the Aussie Open in January.
But just three years ago his whole career was in doubt as a serious shoulder injury sidelined him for almost a year — and forced him to seek other employment.
He said: “I tore my labrum and it was devastating. I worked in the city for a little bit at one of my mate’s companies, Discovery Finance.
“I was dressed up in a suit each day going in. A mate of mine knew I was annoying my mum too much at home and needed to get me out of the house — so I needed to go there and annoy them instead!
“But I always wanted to get back into tennis. Friends and family supported me. It was a slow process because you have to build up from scratch.
“But I really have an appreciation of these moments now, as there was a long time where I wasn’t too confident.”
Millman is a big Liverpool fan, “loves” Jurgen Klopp and thinks new buy Sadio Mane can deliver the title.
But whether Millman can deliver victory against Murray is another matter.
He has faced him once, in his home event in Brisbane in 2013, when he lost 6-1 5-7 6-3.
Millman added: “You dream of playing on the biggest courts against the biggest players. Matches like this against Andy are what you live for and will remember for the rest of your life.
“I’ve played Andy once before in Brisbane, so it’s a bit of the reversal of roles.
“But I plan to make the most of it, put up a great showing and I might even turn a few of the crowd!”