Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Andy Murray at Wimbledon 2023© AFP
World number five Stefanos Tsitsipas battled back to defeat two-time champion Andy Murray and reach the Wimbledon third round on Friday. Trailing two sets to one when the tie was halted the previous evening, Tsitsipas came through 7-6 (7/3), 6-7 (2/7), 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4. After a gruelling four-hour 40-minute match-up, the Greek goes on to face Laslo Djere of Serbia for a place in the last 16. For 36-year-old Murray, the defeat meant he still has not made the second week of a Grand Slam since reaching the quarter-finals at Wimbledon in 2017. It will also surely raise questions over his long-term future in the sport.
“It’s never easy against Andy, everyone here loves him,” said the 24-year-old Tsitsipas, who hit a whopping 90 winners.
“I am always impressed by him after so many years on tour and to keep playing after two hip surgeries. I wish him all the very best for the future.”
Murray had been ahead when the match was halted on Thursday due to a local 11:00 pm tournament curfew.
The suspension came at the right moment for the former world number one, who fell and appeared to hurt his groin, leaving him screaming in pain as he served for the third set.
However, the world number 40, who had secured the only break of serve in the first three sets, picked himself up to serve it out.
The tense nature of the second-round tie continued Friday with serve again on top and another tie-break required, which the Greek claimed.
With a 12-year age difference, Tsitsipas suddenly found another gear and broke for the first time in the match to take a 2-1 lead in the decider, claiming victory on a third match point.
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