Two hip surgeries, four years and three hours 32 minutes later, Andy Murray marked his return to individual combat at Wimbledon with a 6-4, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 win over Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili.
Welcomed as a hero at the All England Club, Murray turned back the years with his inch-perfect aces, then lost momentum in the 3rd round and finally made a remarkable comeback to win the game. Not to mention, there was a short pause when the game was interrupted due to darkness.
Andy Murray made his first Wimbledon solo appearance for the first time since 2017 when he reached the quarterfinals before falling in five sets against Sam Querrey. He missed the 2018 event due to ongoing recovery from hip surgery and only competed in men’s doubles with Pierre-Hugues Herbert and mixed doubles with Serena Williams in 2019.
“I can still play at the highest level”
There is no doubt @Andy Murray #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/KxPOB6xDC9
– Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 28, 2021
The 34-year-old Scot received a rousing welcome as he stepped onto the green grass of Center Court, where he became a British sports icon.
In the first two sets, Murray turned back the clock and won the first two sets convincingly. He led the third set 5-0. At that point it looked like it was going to be a fairytale return for the two-time champion, but then the twist came and he was broken three times in a row and lost seven games in a row.
Tension was in the air and the crowd tried to lift the former world number one but Murray lost his momentum and Basilashvili won the third set 7-5.
this sport.
R1
#AMC pic.twitter.com/7GJoKCVkJ5
– Andy Murray (@andy_murray) June 28, 2021
Murray looked vulnerable with nagging doubts about his physical condition, Basilashvili had the opening in the game.
The turning point was undoubtedly inevitable, but the game was paused for 10 minutes as darkness fell on the All England Club. Players left the pitch with the sunroof closed and lights on to end the game.
However, the short break. had a rejuvenating effect on Murray, who returned to the break in the first game of the fourth set. Almost an hour and a half after his first match points, Murray reached the match point again. He took the win to defeat Basilashvili and this time secure a spot in the second round.
Next, Murray will meet either the German qualifier Oscar Otte or the French qualifier Arthur Rinderknech. Otte and Rinderknech were stuck in the fifth set after three hours and 39 minutes at 6-4, 3-6, 2-6, 7-6 (5), 9-9 when their match was interrupted due to darkness.
Playing in only his fourth Tour-level event of the year, Murray fired 17 aces against Basilashvili as he improved his perfect Wimbledon first-round record to 13-0.
During the post-game interview on court, Murray also cleared the air about his resignation, saying, “He can still play at the highest level.”
“I keep getting asked: will this be my last Wimbledon? Last game? I don’t know why people keep asking me about it. How, no. I will keep playing. I want to play, ”said Murray.
“I enjoy it and I can still play at the highest level,” added Murray.
Murray won the All England Club title in 2013 – and Great Britain its first male champion there in 77 years – and again in 2016.
Murray had some trace of apprehension about his fitness, fatigue, and most of all, the rust from a lack of match practice. But with his long rallies, ground strokes, aces and dropshots, one can say that the former world number one still has a lot of fuel.
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