World number two Murray faces the controversial 31-year-old for the first time since Munich in 2015 when Rosol bumped into him at a changeover during their quarter-final.

“No one likes you on the tour,” Murray told him. “Everyone hates you.”

But Murray, the reigning Wimbledon and Olympic champion, insists that the bad blood is a thing of the past and will not impact their opening round meeting at Flushing Meadows next week.

“I spoke to him after the match and it was fine. A few things happened when we were on the court,” said Murray on Friday.

“I have actually gotten along fine with him apart from that day. He’s a tough, tough opponent, a big, strong guy. He goes for his shots and takes a lot of risks.”

Rosol, ranked at 93 in the world, rose to prominence in 2012 when he dumped Rafael Nadal out of Wimbledon.

This is not the foot-hole in the bowling crease, which Australia bowlers had reported to be so deep, that by now, Mitchell Starc should able to travel through it to Rio, to watch brother Brandon compete in the high-jump.

This hole was merely figurative. (Though, again, this is not a jibe at Sri Lanka Cricket administrators’ travel-and-expenses account.)

No, this was the kind of hole that Sri Lanka have routinely found themselves in Tests over the past year; the kind of hole from which they have not often lately recovered. The kind of hole from which, on this occasion, only their best player could haul them out.

Australia were skipping along gaily, at 267 for 1, only 88 runs behind. Soon they had lost a wicket, but were nevertheless still skipping – a triple-figure first-innings lead in their sight.

Then along came Rangana Herath. Think of him here as a fireman – probably in an oversized kit and a hat that falls off – sending a rope ladder down to teammates wallowing in the pit. With six for 81 in this innings, the rescue was almost single-handed. With the last four wickets falling for 26 runs, the salvage operation took surprisingly little time.

This 25th five-for of Herath’s career is all the more remarkable, for his having been hit on the box on day two. This is the kind of injury that Sri Lankan men of his age would take several weeks off work for. It is the kind of complaint that would see them sullenly recovering in front of the TV, a drink in hand and ice-pack at the crotch; making whimpering grunts when rising from the settee; forming pathetic pained faces when wives came in with bowls of soup.

Herath though – a hobble now added to his usual waddle – was seen warming up again in the outfield only an hour after the blow had been received. He was bowling at Steven Smith and Shaun Marsh before day’s end.

In the morning, on day three, he was pivoting very gingerly at the crease, but got through his overs cheaply, even if his balls did not quite have their usual shape. By the evening though, when perhaps the pain had eased a little, the flight and subtlety returned, as did the dip and bite. All through this innings, Herath’s willpower triumphed over his groin, and folks as diverse as Tiger Woods and Bill Clinton may say there is no more heroic victory for a man than that.

“Rangana’s got some pain in the groin as a result of the blow, and it’s quite a challenge for the physio at the moment,” coach Graham Ford said after play. “But I can’t say enough about the bloke. I was joking in the dressing room and saying he’s my all-time sporting hero. He’s gone ahead of Roger Federer.”

This may seem like hyperbole, but let us consider the facts. Federer may have had to do battle with Rafael Nadal for his titles, and lately Novak Djokovic. But has Federer ever had to contend with Sri Lanka’s selectors, whose first response to any uncertainty, for a while, was to drop Herath from the team? Usain Bolt may be part of the reigning Olympic relay team, but has he ever had to race with teammates as useless at holding batons, as Herath’s teammates often are with catches?

“He’s injured and he’s bowling on one leg,” Ford said. “He’s just got so much guts and fight. For an older guy to do that it – ignites the fight within the younger group. After his nasty incident batting, he makes some brilliant diving stops in the dirt off his own bowling. If you’ve got the old man throwing himself around like that, the youngsters have no excuse.”

Australia finished only 24 runs ahead in the first innings, and Sri Lanka now find themselves only two runs behind. They will set themselves up nicely for a whitewash with 250 more. But if the top order fails again, Herath may find himself needing to rescue Sri Lanka from another hole, with bat and ball.

It is possibly Josh Hazlewood feels guilty for Herath’s injury, but he shouldn’t bother. It is Herath’s teammates that kick the old man in the gonads most of all.

World number one and top seed Djokovic, who turns 29 on the opening day of the tournament on Sunday, needs a Roland Garros title to complete a career Grand Slam after losing three finals in four years, including last season to Stan Wawrinka.

Should Djokovic and nine-time French Open champion Nadal meet in the last-four it will be their 50th career clash in a rivalry which began in 2006 at Roland Garros.

Djokovic has the edge at 26-23, claiming the pair’s last seven encounters.

Fourth seed Wawrinka is scheduled to take on second seed Andy Murray in the other semi-final.

Top seed Djokovic, bidding for a 12th career major, starts his campaign against Taiwan’s Lu Yen-Hsun, the world number 100 who made the Wimbledon quarter-finals in 2010.

Djokovic is seeded to face Tomas Berdych in the last-eight while he could tackle volatile Australian Bernard Tomic in the fourth round.

Tomic was accused by the Serb of lacking commitment after a tame exit at the Madrid Masters last month.

Nadal, who lost to Djokovic in the quarter-finals in 2015, had originally been set to be seeded at five until 2009 champion Roger Federer withdrew through injury on Thursday.

Nadal starts his French Open against big-serving Sam Groth of Australia with a potential quarter-final against home hope, and two-time semi-finalist, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

With his 30th birthday just around the corner, Nadal has arguably the toughest draw of the top men but will be buoyed by a recent return to form which saw him claim the Monte Carlo and Barcelona titles.

Italy’s Fabio Fognini, who came back from two sets down to beat Nadal at the US Open last year, is a possible third round opponent.

Rising Austrian Dominic Thiem, the man who knocked Federer out in Rome, is lying in wait in the round of 16.

– Serena eyes 22nd Slam – SUB HEAD

Murray, fresh from beating Djokovic in the Rome Masters final, will meet a qualifier in the first round with a potential quarter-final against Japan’s Kei Nishikori.

Murray has been handed a relatively smooth path although a mouth-watering clash with Nick Kyrgios of Australia is a potential last-eight match-up should Nishikori stumble. AFP

Nadal is seeded a lowly sixth this year after slipping to seven in the rankings and as a result was always likely to face one of his major rivals in the last eight.
“It’s very strange,” admitted Nadal, promoted to the sixth seeding after the injury-enforced pull-out of Canada’s Milos Raonic. “It’s never happened before.
“But I have to play four matches to get to the quarter-finals. I have to be ready for the first round.”
Nadal defeated Djokovic in the 2012 and 2014 finals, but the top-seeded Serb, who turned 28 on Friday, is the overwhelming favourite for a maiden Roland Garros title this year.
Djokovic goes into the French Open, which starts Sunday, riding a 22-match unbeaten streak and has already captured a fifth Australian Open and Masters crowns in Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo and Rome this year.
Djokovic, bidding to become only the eighth man to complete the career Grand Slam, starts his campaign in Paris against experienced Finn Jarkko Nieminen while Nadal begins against French wildcard Quentin Halys.
The other potential quarter-finals could see second seed Roger Federer, the 2009 champion, face Swiss compatriot Stan Wawrinka.
Third seeded Andy Murray was drawn for a potential clash against David Ferrer while Tomas Berdych could tackle Japan’s Kei Nishikori.
Federer, the 2009 champion, starts against a qualifier.
Murray is a potential semi-final opponent for Djokovic and Nadal with the Scot, the champion on clay in Madrid this year, starting against a qualifier.
In the women’s singles, top seed Serena Williams was handed a tough draw which could see the American taking on old rival Victoria Azarenka and sister Venus before the quarter-finals.
Williams, the 2002 and 2013 champion, starts against a qualifier but could meet sister Venus in the last 16.
Two-time Australian Open winner and former number one Azarenka is a potential third round opponent for Williams.
Adding extra spice to the draw is the presence of bitter American rival Sloane Stephens in Serena’s half of the draw.
Stephens could face the two-time champion in the last 16 but she starts against Venus.In contrast, second seeded defending champion Maria Sharapova starts against experienced Estonian Kaia Kanepi and could tackle Spanish claycourter Carla Sanchez Navarro in the quarter-finals.
Former number one Caroline Wozniacki is a possible last-eight opponent for Williams.
Third seed Simona Halep could meet Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard in the quarter-finals.