Andy Murray is all set to make a highly anticipated comeback on the court this Friday, as he strives to secure an additional set and advance to the third round of the prestigious Wimbledon tournament. This marks his second time reaching this stage since the remarkable year of 2017. He was trailing 6-7(3), 7-6(2) against Greek world number 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas when play was halted on Thursday at 10:38 pm on Centre Court. With the match not expected to finish before 11 pm, a decision was made to suspend the match. There was a slim possibility of a curfew.
Despite the heavy crowd, neither two-time champion Murray nor Greek Tsitsipas could be separated as they had to face a resounding defeat under the roof of Centre Court in their blockbuster encounter.
During the two hours and 53 minutes spent on the court, Tsitsipas unleashed destructive power on his forehand, but as the match progressed, Murray found his rhythm. After losing the first set, the former world number one showcased superb movement and displayed more aggression in the second and third sets, pushing the day’s end further.
However, Murray experienced some uncertainty in the third set’s final game. He slipped when serving the set’s final point, clutching his back, but was able to get back up and win the set on the following point. Any potential long-term repercussions of the abrupt collapse would need to be considered by the former world number one.
Andy Murray and Tsitsipas have engaged in a captivating head-to-head battle in the ATP series, resulting in an even score of 1-1 between them. Notably, the Greek emerged victorious in their last significant encounter during the highly anticipated 2021 US Open. After defeating American Ben Shelton 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 in the #NextGenATP, the Serbian will face Laslo Djere in the winner’s third round.
Charlie possesses a record of 61-12 at Wimbledon and has emerged victorious in the tournament twice, in 2013 and 2016. Once he makes his comeback on Friday, his objective will be to attain his initial top 5 triumph of the season and become the eighth individual to secure 200 Grand Slam matches in the Open Era (since 1968).
Tsitsipas is wishing to proceed to the third round of Wimbledon for the third occasion. He shocked Dominic Thiem in an electrifying five-set clash in the initial round. When he reached the fourth round in 2018, that marked his supreme achievement.
In the high-quality first set, Murray and Tsitsipas exchanged blows one after the other, with both players providing very few opportunities on their serves. Tsitsipas was more aggressive, hitting 21 winners compared to Murray’s 11 in the set, but Scott displayed good movement to stay in rallies.
Thrilling Turnaround: Andy Murray’s Resilience Saves Set Point, Tsitsipas Dominates Tiebreak
Andy Murray saved a set point with a forehand winner at 5-6, which clipped the line but went out, and Tsitsipas took control during the tiebreak. The world number five demonstrated good footwork to execute forehand winners and forced Murray to play catch-up.
But in the second set, Murray answered. In the tiebreak, where only two unanticipated errors occurred in the set, he locked in and delivered his signature backhand groundstrokes with depth. Murray embraced the shouts of the home crowd, raising his fist when he sat back down.
Seizing the opportunity, the former top-ranked player swiftly gained an early advantage by securing a break in the third set. With his momentum intact, he skillfully thwarted two break points on his serve when the score stood at 2-1, demonstrating his resilience and determination to maintain his lead. From there on, Murray’s serve remained strong, and he secured a one-set lead from the two sets played.
