Spot of bother

On getting up the other morning, I looked in the mirror and there was Oliver Reed staring back at me (as he used to look after a long weekend spent in the company of friends!). However, instead of having two red eyes, I had but the one.

Now I do spend a lot of time on court ducking and diving from 'missiles' propelled by 10 year olds - and that may well account for this 'injury' of unknown origin.

However, there is no hiding place when you teach children. Whereas adults will politely try to ignore any newly acquired facial blemishes, children will greet you with gleeful cries of "what wrong with your face", "it looks terrible" or "it's getting worse"!

I've had various 'helpful' pieces of advice over the past few days, including bathing it with tea or the even better suggestion of wearing a patch and getting myself a parrot. However I've made do with wearing shades and adopting the Roy Orbison image. This is fine on sunny days - but perhaps a bit dipstickish in the wind and rain.

In a similar vein, have you ever had a spot on your nose? It becomes a fixation, dragging you down into the depths of depression, moody and afraid to be seen in public. And yet at the same time 99% per cent of your anatomy can be looking good and working fine.

The moral to this tale is not to focus on our weaknesses. In tennis, it is better to play to our strengths rather than concentrate on improving our weaknesses. So if the ball is coming to your backhand side, if at all possible scamper round and play a forehand.

I will be watching Andy Murray playing Rafael Nadal on Saturday. I reckon if he play to his strengths - returns well, varies his speed and direction, and uses tactical awareness, then he will win.

It's a big ask. Go for it Andy.