In a thrilling Wimbledon second-round match, Andy Murray has managed to secure a 6-7 (3), 7-6 (2), 6-4 lead against fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas. The match was postponed at 10.40 pm due to the 11 pm curfew at the All England Club and is set to resume on Friday afternoon with a spot in the last 32 at stake.
Murray, who had previously won two grass-court challenger titles this summer, found himself up against Tsitsipas, whose form had been questionable despite reaching the Australian Open final. Tsitsipas had a disappointing 1-3 win-loss record on grass before Wimbledon, including two first-round defeats. However, his victory over Dominic Thiem in a five-set match gave him a much-needed confidence boost.
The match began with Tsitsipas displaying high intensity, serving brilliantly and attacking relentlessly. His forehand was particularly impressive, and he managed to take the first set. However, the challenge of maintaining this level of play across five sets on Wimbledon’s grass courts proved difficult for Tsitsipas.
Murray, known for his resilience, gradually clawed his way back into the game. He exploited Tsitsipas’s faulty backhand and forced errors from it. As the pressure mounted, Murray entered the tie-break in the ascendancy, serving excellently and returning serve extremely well. He managed to level the match and carried his momentum forward into the third set.
After two hours without a break of serve, Tsitsipas faltered, missing first serves and making frustrated forehands. Murray seized the opportunity, breaking to love in the opening game and then maintaining his serve until he served for the third set.
However, as Murray reached set point, he slipped behind the baseline while defending, causing concern about a potential groin injury. Despite this, he managed to close out the set with an unreturned serve. Now, the challenge for Murray is not only to maintain his lead but also to ensure he is in top shape to finish the match.
The pair will return on Friday as the second match on Centre Court following Carlos Alcaraz’s second-round match against Alexandre Muller. The winner will face Laslo Djere of Serbia in round three. Djere, typically a clay court specialist, recovered from a set down to defeat Ben Shelton of the United States 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-3 earlier on Thursday.
This match adds another chapter to the fierce rivalry between Murray and Tsitsipas, which began at the 2021 US Open. Despite past tensions, both players have stressed that they have resolved their issues. With the tournament schedule disrupted by rain, Murray entered the second round with an advantage, having spent minimal time on-court in his first-round win over Ryan Peniston. Meanwhile, Tsitsipas had a grueling match against Thiem, which ended late on Wednesday evening.
