Tuesday 30 May 2017 14:56, UK
Andrey Kuznetsov wants to become a hero when he takes on Andy Murray in the French Open first round on Tuesday.
The Russian faces the world No 1 who is in Paris having lost back-to-back matches to Borna Coric and Fabio Fognini and looking a shadow of the player who reached his first final here 12 months ago.
Kuznetsov, meanwhile, has had a good clay season and made the semi-finals of the Geneva Open last week before losing to Stan Wawrinka.
The 26-year-old, ranked 73, said: "I've had a pretty successful last week and I've won a few good matches. I played a tough, tough match against Wawrinka, who is also a very top player.
"I understand, of course, that Andy is the favourite of this match but I think I will have chances, good chances. I think I prepared pretty good for this tournament and I think I'm ready to play good.
"For me it's a good experience to play against a world No 1. If I win, I will be a hero. If I lose, nobody will be surprised. Nothing to lose for me."
Should Murray be dumped out, he would become the first men's top seed to exit in the first round here since Stefan Edberg in 1990.
Murray has not progressed past the round of 16 in three of his last four tournaments on clay, suffering a third round loss to Coric in Madrid and losing out to home favourite Fognini early in the Italian Open this month.
The 30-year-old is also recovering from an illness and Kuznetsov, who has previously lost to Murray twice in as many meetings, is hopeful he can make it third time lucky.
"If you see the results he showed on clay, maybe it's not his best as he showed last year," Kuznetsov added.
"A few guys like Coric, for example, beat him in Madrid. It shows that it's possible to beat him. Also in the first rounds of the big tournaments, maybe they need some time to find rhythm and so on.
"It will be important to start good. If it goes to a five-setter, there will be a few more chances for him to win because of the physical conditions.
"But if he starts a little bit nervy and shaky, and I start with confidence, maybe I can win one set and take a lead in the second."
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