Tag: Andy Murray

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ANDY MURRAY IN TEARS OF JOY AFTER ANOTHER REMARKABLE ESCAPE IN PARIS

An emotional Andy Murray continued to write a remarkable final chapter to his career in Paris as he and Dan Evans conjured another dramatic escape to reach the quarter-finals of the men’s doubles.

After the drama of Sunday’s five-match-point-saving comeback to beat Japanese duo Taro Daniel and Kei Nishikori, it appeared this would be slightly less nail-biting when they brought up two match points in the second-set tie-break against Belgian duo Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen.

But instead, Murray and Evans were taken to another match tie-break by last year’s French Open finalists and had to save two more match points before claiming a 6-3 6-7 (8) (11/9) victory and a place in the last eight.

Murray and Evans again bounced around the court with joy after the latter put away the decisive volley before the moment caught up with the Scot and he sat on his chair with head in hands.

“Obviously it’s unbelievably emotional,” said Murray. “You’re obviously unbelievably happy and then, I don’t know why it happens, it’s like happy tears. I was really emotional at the end of the match.

“Obviously extremely happy, excited that we managed to get through and another amazing finish so it takes a lot out of you that sort of stuff. I’m glad we get a day off tomorrow.”

Murray and Evans do not yet know who they will play next, with American duo Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul due to play Dutchmen Robin Haase and Jean-Julien Rojer on Wednesday.

Andy Murray and Dan Evans

But whichever pair it is, Murray refused to buy into the idea that a medal is somehow written in the stars.

“We were very lucky in the first match and today we weren’t,” said the 37-year-old, who seemed almost as excited to add two new Olympic pins to his vast collection in the media mixed zone.

“The margins are so fine, we need to perform at a really high level in a couple of days’ time to go through.

“And you build confidence by winning matches like that and I think your opponents see that, that you’re coming back when you’re behind and that builds belief.

“But you can’t have that mentality of ‘Oh this is just going to happen now.’ We need to be switched on for the next one and let’s see what happens in a couple of days.”

Court Suzanne Lenglen was again less than half empty when Murray and Evans walked out, with many fans having left after watching Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz reach the quarter-finals.

It seemed that those who were left, though, nearly all waved British flags as they sought to create a fitting atmosphere.

The British pair had spoken of the need to start much better than in their great escape on Sunday and they were as good as their word.

They broke the Vliegen serve in the second game courtesy of some fine returning and a pinpoint Evans lob, and the only moment of concern in the first set came in the final game.

Evans, who was hugely fired up throughout, was given a time violation for taking too long before serving and then threw his racket to the clay after Vliegen’s return hit the tape and landed in to give the Belgians break point, but Evans saved it and eventually held.

The duo then saw two break points come and go at 4-4 in the second set before a topsy-turvy tie-break where Gille and Vliegen saved two match points, one with an extremely fortunate volley off the frame, and took it when Evans double-faulted – a third of the breaker for him and Murray.

The momentum swung from one pair to the other in the deciding tie-break until Gille and Vliegen created two match points at 9-7 but Murray and Evans again simply refused to be beaten.

“What happened again was incredible,” said Evans. “We’re getting really close to doing something pretty special. We played great tonight. People see that, see how good we’ve been in tight moments, and we’re getting better and better.

“I thought we were unlucky not to win 7-6 in the second set. How that volley went in, I still don’t know. I don’t think he wants to go home, does he? He’s amazing to play with. I’m over the moon that I came.”

They could not face Nadal and Alcaraz until what would be a dream final. The all-star duo recovered from losing the second set against Dutch pair Tallon Griekspoor and Wesley Koolhof to triumph 6-4 6-7 (2) (10/2).

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ANDY MURRAY WITHDRAWS FROM SINGLES TO FOCUS ON DOUBLES AT PARIS OLYMPICS

Andy Murray has officially withdrawn from the singles event at the Paris Olympics.

The two-time gold medallist is still not fully recovered from the back surgery he had last month and believes the men’s doubles, where he is playing with Dan Evans, offers his best chance of another medal.

Murray said: “I’ve take the decision to withdraw from the singles to concentrate on the doubles with Dan.

Andy Murray

“Our practice has been great and we’re playing well together. Really looking forward to getting started and representing GB one more time.”

The 37-year-old, who won gold in singles in London and Rio as well as silver in mixed doubles with Laura Robson in 2012, confirmed earlier this week that he will retire after the Olympics.

Murray’s withdrawal means his final singles match was his brief second-round appearance at Queen’s Club against Jordan Thompson before he was forced to pull out because of a spinal cyst.

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TOKYO OLYMPICS: ANDY MURRAY FORCED TO WITHDRAW FROM MEN’S SINGLES DUE TO THIGH STRAIN

Andy Murray’s bid for a third straight Olympic singles gold medal ended before it began when he withdrew ahead of his first match with a minor thigh strain.

The Scot had been due to take on ninth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada on Sunday but was replaced on the order of play by Australian Max Purcell.

Murray had been upbeat about his prospects after an excellent doubles victory with Joe Salisbury on Saturday but experienced tightness in his quad muscle and was advised not to try to compete in both events.

Murray and Salisbury’s form on Saturday, when they defeated French Open champions Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut, suggested they could be medal contenders.

The three-time grand slam champion said: “I am really disappointed at having to withdraw but the medical staff have advised me against playing in both events, so I have made the difficult decision to withdraw from the singles and focus on playing doubles with Joe.”

Murray is the only tennis player ever to win back-to-back singles gold medals, and it appears highly likely his last chance to add to that haul has now gone.

Speaking after his doubles victory on Saturday, Murray had said: “I do like the conditions here in terms of how the court plays and everything.

“Obviously not an easy one against Felix but I’ve played well in the practice sets and the practice matches that I’ve had and obviously today was a good one for the confidence. I think I’ll be all right.”

But this is yet another physical setback for the Scot, who has been unable to play consistently since his comeback from hip resurfacing surgery two and a half years ago.

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ANDY MURRAY’S WIMBLEDON COMEBACK ENDS WITH THIRD-ROUND LOSS TO DENIS SHAPALOV

Andy Murray’s Wimbledon comeback ended in the third round with a straight-sets defeat by Denis Shapovalov.

By winning back-to-back matches at a grand slam for the first time since his hip problems started in 2017, the two-time Wimbledon champion had Centre Court dreaming of British wins once again.

But 10th seed Shapovalov was a step up from Nikoloz Basilashvili and Oscar Otte, and Murray was comfortably beaten 6-4 6-2 6-2 to complete a miserable day for British players on Centre following Dan Evans’ loss to Sebastian Korda.

That means Cameron Norrie, who takes on Roger Federer on Saturday, is once again flying the British flag solo for the men, with Emma Raducanu the only home woman left in the singles draw.

Murray spoke after his five-set win over Otte on Wednesday about how slippery he had found Centre Court, and he changed his shoes after falling twice in the opening two games here.

Extra grip did not translate to any kind of hold on the match, though, as Shapovalov drove vicious groundstrokes deep into the court, exploiting his opponent’s lack of weight of shot, to move into a 5-1 lead.

From there Murray mounted a comeback, hitting through the ball better and putting doubt in the mind of Shapovalov, who missed one chance to serve it out and then found himself under intense pressure the second time.

Murray had three chances to get back to 5-5 but the 22-year-old Canadian held firm each time, saving the third with a superb stop volley.

Shapovalov has long been regarded as one of the most exciting young talents in the game, with his explosive one-handed backhand and all-court game.

The Canadian won the junior title at the All England Club in 2016, the same year Murray lifted the men’s trophy for the second time.

The momentum going into the second set appeared to favour Murray but again he made a bad start, dropping serve with a double fault and then going a double break down.

The 34-year-old was pulling off some fine shots but not consistently while his movement simply was not sharp enough to keep him in long rallies.

Murray tried to stage another comeback but Shapovalov, who fell over numerous times on the slick surface, saved a succession of break points at 1-4 and had no problems serving out the set this time.

That was the cue for the closing of the roof, which had been the catalyst for Murray to turn things around against Basilashvili and Otte, but it was a very different story this time, with Shapovalov racing through the third set to set up a fourth-round clash against eighth seed Roberto Bautista Agut.

The crowd tried to pull Murray back into the contest but this was Shapovalov’s night, the Scot offering a lingering wave as he headed off the stage.

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WIMBLEDON: ANDY MURRAY BATTLES BACK TO DEFEAT GERMAN, OSCAR OTTE TO REACH THIRD ROUND

Andy Murray created more moments to savour on a raucous Centre Court as he battled from two sets to one down to defeat Oscar Otte and reach the third round of a grand slam for the first time in four years.

Not since the 34-year-old limped through to the quarter-finals here in 2017, before his two hip operations and what he thought would be the end of his career, had Murray won two matches at a slam.

And it did not look likely to happen here either when, labouring and frustrated, he saw a lead erased and then reversed by German qualifier Otte, making his Wimbledon debut.

But Murray has come back from worse situations on the lawns of SW19 and, after a break for the roof to be closed, he found some of the old magic to win 6-3 4-6 4-6 6-4 6-2 and set up a third-round clash with 10th seed Denis Shapovalov.

Murray has spent much of the past four years rehabbing from a succession of injury issues, and he said: “A lot of what I’m doing now is harder than a lot of the stuff I was doing when I was in my mid-20s in many ways because of the physical issues that I have had and stuff.

“It’s tough obviously going out and playing matches of that length when you know you have not had many matches, not had loads of preparation. And not played a whole lot of grass-court tennis in four years.

“So it’s been tough. But that’s one of the reasons why I’m still playing is because of moments like that. Why would you want to give that up? The atmosphere, it was good the whole match, but especially the last hour and a half was brilliant. I still enjoy that.”

The two-time champion had awoken memories of times past against Nikoloz Basilashvili on Monday, salvaging a four-set victory under the roof after blowing a seemingly insurmountable lead in the third.

The big question was how well he had recovered physically and, although he began a little gingerly, he settled into the match well, making few errors and showing Otte the way around a grass court.

Murray broke the big-serving 27-year-old twice and seemed to be well on his way to round three when he moved 3-1 ahead in the second.

But a loose service game, coupled with a more aggressive approach from his opponent, turned the match completely on its head.

Otte, who led Alexander Zverev by two sets to love in the first round of the French Open, won four games in a row before serving out the second set, and it was a weary-looking Murray who was broken in the seventh game of the third.

The 34-year-old’s movement lacked sharpness and too often his shots did not have sufficient weight behind them to put Otte under any real pressure.

There was a worrying moment for Murray and his many fans inside Centre Court when he became the latest player to slip in the second game of the fourth set, letting out a cry and clutching his groin.

But there did not appear to be any lasting damage and two games later the match was paused so the roof could be closed.

Against Basilashvili, the closing of the roof had helped Murray turn the match back in his favour and there were positive signs on the resumption as the Scot found a bit more pop on his shots and in his legs and broke for 4-2.

The cheers turned to groans when Murray was unable to serve it out at 5-3 but he showed once again that his competitive desire knows no bounds by breaking again to force a decider.

There may not be many more opportunities for the Scot to experience such moments and he drank it all in as he broke to lead 3-0 then survived several long service games before clinching victory with a trademark lob.

Speaking to the crowd, Murray said with a slightly rueful smile: “I enjoyed the end, the middle part not so much. I had to do something differently.

“I started going for my shots more, started dictating more of the points. I think I played the right way the last couple of sets.

“I’m obviously tired. I fell over a couple of times, pretty slick courts. Considering everything, I feel all right. Hopefully I come out on Friday and play in another atmosphere like this and hopefully perform well.”

Murray engaged with several vocal fans during the match, and he said afterwards: “I hope the fans like it and don’t think that it’s a bit weird that I’m sort of staring at them and screaming at them for like an hour, but they seem to enjoy it as well.”