Thread by @iPaperSport

Liam Broady: How ditching nights out and Andy Murray’s advice has turned my career around 🎾

Exclusive interview by @jamesgraysport #Wimbledon 🧵 1/10

inews.co.uk/sport/tennis/l…

After a stellar junior career, @Liambroady hit a career-low ranking of 334 and was overlooked for a #Wimbledon wildcard in 2019

He knew something needed to change… 🧵 2/10

inews.co.uk/sport/tennis/l…

🗣️ “Compared to a few years ago, I’m a completely different player,” Broady, now 28, tells @theipaper.

“That’s apart from the emotional and mental maturity that I’ve gained just having grown older.” 🧵 3/10

What Broady means is that he is now tucked up in bed nice and early…

🗣️ “A few years back I’d be going out twice a week. I got it into my head that ‘this relaxes me, this takes the pressure off’. You have a couple of good results and you think, ‘Wow, this is great’” 🧵 4/10

🗣️ “But it’s difficult. Then you start doing the right things and, as we all know, the results don’t come straightaway. You start saying ‘well, this is rubbish, I’m sacrificing and nothing’s changing. I might as well be an idiot and just do what I want’” 🧵 5/10

The party lifestyle soon backfired with a nine-match losing streak, plummet in world rankings and rejection at #Wimbledon...

But these days Broady is part of a tight-knit group of British players for whom competitiveness and professionalism are a code of honour 🧵 6/10

Andy Murray is a fine example, the inevitable leader as a three-time grand slam champion still trying to make a comeback at 35 years old 💪

But there are so many others in the game who have helped Broady make it back onto the straight and narrow 🧵 7/10

inews.co.uk/sport/tennis/l…

🗣️ "The kindness that I’ve received from @andy_murray, Evo [Dan Evans], @jamie_murray, the Skupskis, @cam_norrie, @kyle8edmund... without those guys I can safely say I would have never made it. I would have never figured it out," Broady says 🧵 8/10

🗣️ "I probably had to go through all those experiences in life to learn," Broady adds. "I’m a bit hard headed at times and don’t listen to others. I’m quite an immature person by nature!

"I do feel like a bit of a tour veteran but hopefully I've got a while to go yet"🧵 9/10

As he prepares for a fifth #Wimbledon campaign, Broady is now on the verge of the world’s top 100👏

“Looking back, I think people’s peaks come at different times in their careers. So, fingers crossed mine is yet to come” 🧵 10/10

inews.co.uk/sport/tennis/l…