PARIS — Andy Murray continues to stave off his deliberate retirement from tennis as he and Group GB enjoying companion, Dan Evans, gained their second-round match within the Paris Olympics males’s doubles match on Tuesday.
It sees the British pair advance to the quarterfinals the place a win would assure them an opportunity at a medal.
The Scot’s ultimate tennis match will come inside the subsequent week, having confirmed this will likely be his ultimate match as an expert, though it hasn’t arrived simply but.
Evans and Murray earned a well-fought 6-3, 6-7(8), (11-9) victory over Belgian pair Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen in a exhibiting that was a lot improved from their miraculous match tie breaker victory within the first spherical.
The Brits took an early lead within the first set by breaking their opponents’ serve on the first alternative, notably via a brilliant lob from Evans to the far proper nook. Nevertheless, Gille and Vliegen held their nerve within the second set and compelled a nervy tie break.
At 6-5 down, Murray himself saved a set level by exhibiting razor sharp reflexes to transform a volley on the internet, however Gille and Vliegen persevered and gained the set.
It despatched the competition to a deciding match tie break – Murray and Evans’ second in so many matches after rescuing 5 match factors final day trip – they usually produced some magic moments this time, too. Twice Murray’s profession was hanging by a thread because the Belgians reached match level, however each occasions the British pair survived earlier than taking it 11-9.
They’ll face both Group USA’s Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul or Dutch pair Robin Haase and Jean-Julien Rojer within the quarterfinals.
It might be a tall order to beat the American duo, ought to they face them, however Murray isn’t any stranger to Olympic success.
He’s a two-time Olympic champion following gold medals within the males’s singles at each London 2012 and Rio 2016. He additionally has a combined doubles silver medal from Rio alongside Laura Robson.