Andy the victim of Stich-up.

Byline: By David McCarthy 

FORMER champion Michael Stich last night predicted that Andy Murray's Wimbledon dream will end in tears today - because the Scot's second serve is too feeble.

The 1991 winner believes fellow German Tommy Haas can blow the British No.1 out of the tournament by taking advantage of what he claims is his biggest weakness.

Haas beat Murray at Indian Wells earlier in the year and has now recovered from shoulder problems that have seen him slide down the rankings from a high of No.2 in the world.

And Stich reckons his 30-year-old countryman will use all his experience to dash the Scot's hopes in the third round, despite him not having dropped a set in his opening two matches.

He said: "I think it is going to be a tough match. People think Andy is the favourite and should come through this - and on paper he should.

"But Haas is very experienced - a top-10 player in the past who has had setbacks with injuries - and he will pick on Andy's weaknesses.

"It is going to be a close, tough match and could be an upset. If both players play their best tennis I would have to go with Haas."

Stich admits Murray's game has improved dramatically but was scathing about the ineffectiveness of his second serve and he believes that until the No.12 seed sorts that out he won't worry the game's top players.

He added: "I think that his second serve is still his problem. It is not penetrative enough and if someone really picks on it and jumps on it time after time it is going to be a real weakness.

"His first serve is very good if he manages to get a high percentage.

"He is up to 134-138mph and is probably averaging well into the 120s.

"But the second serve is about 90-92mph. With this surface getting as slow as it does, if someone spots that and takes a risk he is going to be in some trouble.

"Other than that, he played a good match against Malisse in the last round. He finished it off in the three sets, which is a good sign. He didn't play too many dinky shots and drop shots and things like that.

"No matter how many times we talk about his drop shot - whether it is a good shot or not - it will work sometimes and not work at other times.

"He just has to find out himself how many times he has to play it during a match."

CAPTION(S):

SLAMMED: Andy Murray