Scottish tennis great Andy Murray confirmed that the 2024 Summer Olympics will be his final tournament to cap off his career. “Competing for Great Britain has been by far the most memorable weeks of my career, and I’m extremely proud to get to do it one final time,” Murray tweeted on X.

A series of injuries resulted in the three-time Grand Slam champion vocalizing his retirement plans. “This year’s been tough with the ankle, then the back surgery and the hip. I’m ready to be finished playing because I can’t play to the level that I would want to anymore,” Murray told the Wimbledon crowd. “Even though it was a doubles match where it’s not as demanding, it’s still really hard for me.”

Murray could have had a farewell at Wimbledon, but a back injury robbed him of the opportunity.

The Scottish native has had quite the career as he is the only player to win two Olympic gold medals in singles – he won these at the 2012 and 2016 summer Olympic games while reaching the Grand Slam eleven times, winning three times. Murray prevailed over Roger Federer in London and Juan Martin del Potro in Rio de Janeiro. He also won Wimbledon in 2013 and 2016 while winning the U.S. Open in 2012. In addition, the Scot led Great Britain to a 2015 Davis Cup victory and became the world’s top tennis player for 41 weeks in 2016.

Andy Murray was left questioning his tennis future after a disappointing third-round Wimbledon exit.

For the first time since his hip problems started in 2017, the 34-year-old tennis player won back-to-back matches at a Grand Slam. However, his luck ended in a third-round defeat at the hands of Denis Shapovalov. The 10th-seeded Shapovalov soundly defeated Murray: 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 in straight sets.

The three-time Grand Slam champion was left wondering if all the effort he’d put in pre-Wimbledon was worth it.

“It was great playing in front of the crowds again… [it’s] something I have missed,” Murray said. “Yeah, it kind of reminds you, as well, why you do all of the work and everything. But then, yeah, on the flip side of that, the positive part is getting through the matches and, you know, feeling okay physically and not sort of getting injured.”

“You know, that’s good, but then there is a part of me that feels a bit like I have put in so much work the last three months and ultimately didn’t play how I would want and expect, and it’s like is it worth it?”

“So unless I and my team can find a way of keeping me on the court for a consistent period of time and allow me to practice the way that I need to compete with these guys, then, yeah, that’s when the discussions about what I do next will come in because I have genuinely put a lot into this to get to this point, but I’m not being able to practice, and prepare how I need to perform how I would like at these events. I’m not expecting and saying, like, I would beat Denis Shapovalov. He’s a brilliant player. But I feel like I can do a lot better than what I did this evening.”

Murray walked off the court to a standing ovation. He will now focus on the Tokyo Olympics where he will be defending the singles title that he won in London and Rio de Janeiro.

Andy Murray still recovering from his serious hip injury, wanted to update people on his situation and to show fans he was feeling better. Such a simple gesture took a turn for embarrassment in no time.

Recently Retired Murray gets embarrassed 

While taking the photo of his X-rays, Murray never realized his penis was visible in the picture. And before anyone got a chance to tell him, it was already posted for his 1.6 million followers on Instagram to debate. The recently retired 31-year-old Scot and former World No. 1 — who is known for supporting women in tennis — will likely not live this one down for a long time. Check out how dozens of fans reacted to his dick pic on social media.

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In July, Murray joined BBC Sport’s Wimbledon commentary team. He will surely be missed by tennis fans across the globe, although given the many injuries he sustained later in his career, his ultimate decision certainly doesn’t seem like a bad move.

Andy Murray began 2018 with optimism. However, a series of tournaments on hard American courts put too much strain on the Brit’s surgically repaired right hip.

Murray, 31, found himself on the treatment table, in the gym, in the pool and doing everything else except for German blood transfusions.

Scotsman Murray, Ex-World No. 1, Calls It Quits

But the end was near. During a pre-season training camp in Miami this December, Murray knew the game had passed him by. He told his coaching team that the hip just wasn’t working. Previously, he had set Wimbledon as a target for a final appearance. It seemed likely to him but perhaps less so after his return to the tour in Brisbane last week. Wimbledon is the most fitting send-off for a career like the Brit’s. But another six months of training would just destroy his body. Six months of travel, training, and games all for a heavy defeat and a ceremonial role in a championship he’s won twice.

There are no further options for Murray. He’s debating about a second hip surgery to resurface the joint but that would be to improve his quality of life, not to resurface his career. The former 45-week World No. 1 has been in regular contact with 23-time Grand Slam doubles champion Bob Bryan, who also had hip surgery last year. Though Bryan has made a comeback this month, Murray claims he has no interest in pursuing a career exclusively in doubles.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Watch Murray emotionally announce his retirement in this press conference on Friday:

Comebacks are often reserved for those who haven’t done enough. Murray was an icon on and off the court. In November 2016, he achieved his last spot at the highest ranking, No. 1 worldwide. He won two gold medals and one silver in the Olympics. Off the court, he was extremely popular among his peers and pushed for gender equality and the WTA tour. Almost 14 years after his Grand Slam career began, Murray now looks at life after tennis. With keen interests in technology, sports management and as the father of two young daughters, the Brit appears ready.

Andy Murray announced on Monday that he will join BBC Sport’s commentary and match analysis team for Wimbledon starting Tuesday.

Andy Murray To Join Wimbledon 2018 Analysis Team

The 33-year-old Scotsman, a two-time Wimbledon champion, pulled out of the tournament the night before it started, citing a desire to prolong his recovery from a hip injury. Murray added that he wishes to return to play in August for the U.S. hard-court circuit.

“Live at the BBC studio tomorrow with Tim Henman and trying my hand at commentary,” he wrote on Twitter. “What could possibly go wrong?”

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After the men’s quarterfinals start on Wednesday, Murray will switch from being a studio analyst to a box commentator. Roger Federer and 17-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal have both reached the last eight round this year. Nadal hadn’t advanced this far at the All England Club since 2011. Federer will next play South African eighth-seed Kevin Anderson, and Nadal — the World No. 1 — will face either Argentine No. 5 seed Juan Martin del Potro or Frenchman Gilles Simon. 

On the women’s side, Serena Williams has also reached the quarterfinals after beating Russia’s Evgeniya Rodina in straight sets (6-2, 6-2). Williams will next face Italian 26-year-old Camila Giorgi on Tuesday.

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Andy Murray won’t be competing in this year’s Australian Open.

Andy Murray injury update

The 30-year-old three-time Grand Slam champion announced he will sit out the tournament, which begins January 15, due to an ongoing hip injury.

“Sadly, I won’t be playing in Melbourne this year, as I am not yet ready to compete,” said Murray, who will fly back from Australia to London and “assess all the options”.

“I appreciate all the messages of support and I hope to be back playing soon,” Murray added.

The Scotsman has not played a competitive match since Wimbledon last summer.

Murray explained in an emotional social media post this week that it is demoralizing to still be in poor physical condition despite six months of grueling rehabilitation. He emphasized that surgery was something he still wished to avoid, although he may need to reconsider this view.

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said: “We are fully aware that Andy has been going through a difficult period with his hip and that he’s done everything possible to prepare for the Australian summer.

“Personally, I also know that Andy loves tennis and would do anything to play. This is a very hard decision for Andy and we totally respect it.”

Murray, a former World number one, has fallen to 16th since he was defeated by American Sam Querrey in the Wimbledon quarterfinals last summer. He attempted to return at the US Open in August but withdrew two days before the beginning of the tournament.

Former British number one Andrew Castle says Murray’s career at the highest level will end if he needs to undergo surgery, although he admitted he did not know the severity of Murray’s injury.

“People don’t generally, in sports like tennis, recover from this level of hip injury — assuming it’s either a labrum tear or full on arthritis that requires a new hip,” Castle told BBC Radio 5 live. “Either way, months of physical therapy are required after you have surgery and it’s too central an area, too important to the body’s movement, to come back early from.”

The Scot’s most recent match was a one-set exhibition fixture against Roberto Bautista Agut in Abu Dhabi last week.

He also played an exhibition match against Roger Federer in November, losing 6-3 3-6 10-6 to the 2017 Australian Open and Wimbledon champion.

NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 05: Andy Murray of Great Britain returns a shot to Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria during his fourth round Men’s Singles match on Day Eight of the 2016 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 5, 2016 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Day 10 at Wimbledon featured both highly expected results and surprises, as Andy Murray was eliminated from the quarter-finals and Roger Federer advanced to the semis.

Wimbledon news Andy Murray Roger Federer

World number one Murray lost to 24th-seeded American Sam Querrey on Center Court at All England Club on Wednesday. Querrey, 29, came back from two sets behind to defeat the Scotsman and defending Wimbledon champion 3-6, 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-1, 6-1.

Murray was clearly still feeling the effects of a hip injury he sustained before the tournament, despite winning the opening set in just 28 minutes. The 30-year-old three-time Grand Slam champion (two Wimbledon titles, one U.S. Open title) got ahead 3-0 in the first set and then 4-3 in the second as Querrey — the World number 60 — struggled to deliver proper serves.

However, Querrey then broke back to tie it 4-4 in the second set and then held serve to gain the lead from there, winning that set with a backhand.

Following a 7-6 lead in the third set, Murray raced to a 6-1 advantage in the tiebreak and then won it 7-4 to lead the match 2-1.

However, the Scot fell apart after that, particularly in terms of serves and chasing balls. Querrey broke Murray for a second time and then a third en route to a 6-1 set victory.

Ben Rothenberg of the New York Times noted that after the tiebreaker, Murray still had a chance to win despite looking “limpy” and delivering a “horrendous” start because Querrey seemed to have lost some steam:

Querrey had not advanced past the fourth round of a tournament since the 2010 U.S. Open. The San Francisco native also reached the third round of this year’s Australian Open and the third round of the French Open in 2013.

On Friday morning, Querrey will face seventh-seeded Croatian Marin Cilic in the first men’s semifinal. Cilic defeated 16th-seeded Luxembourgish star Gilles Muller on Wednesday.
Third-seed Federer, meanwhile, inched closer to his eighth Wimbledon title by defeating sixth-seeded Canadian Milos Raonic — the 2016 Wimbledon runner-up and a semifinalist at last year’s Australian Open — 6-4, 6-2, 7-6(4) in his 100th match at All England Club.

The 35-year-old Swiss looked in fine form, finishing with 46 winners and only nine unforced errors. He will next face 11th-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych — the 2010 runner-up — in the second men’s semifinal on Friday.

On the women’s side on Tuesday, Johanna Konta eliminated second seed Simona Halep of Romania with a 6-7 (2), 7-6 (5), 6-4 victory to become the first British woman to reach Wimbledon’s semifinals since Virginia Wade in 1978.

The 26-year-old Australian-born sixth seed will next face 10th-seeded American Venus Williams in Thursday’s second women’s semifinal. Konta praised the 37-year-old Williams, who beat Latvian 20-year-old Jelena Ostapenko — the 13th seed and reigning French Open champion — in her own quarterfinal 6-3, 7-5 on Tuesday.

“Age is not a factor,” Konta said of Williams. “She’s a tremendous champion. I feel privileged to share a court with her.”

Konta defeated Venus on hardcourt at the Miami Open earlier this year, then lost to her on clay in Rome.

“I’ve never played her on grass, so that will be a new challenge,” the Brit added. “The way Venus and her sister have elevated women’s tennis is truly inspiring. I feel very excited and very humbled.”

The first women’s semifinal on Friday will see 14th seed Garbiñe Muguruza of Spain — the 2016 French Open champion and 2015 Wimbledon finalist — face Slovakian Magdaléna Rybáriková. 

LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 12: Sam Querrey of The United States plays a forehand during the Gentlemen’s Singles quarter final match against Andy Murray of Great Britain on day nine of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 12, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Angelique Kerber is out of Wimbledon.

Angelique Kerber Eliminated wimbledon

The No. 1 overall seed at the tournament and defending Wimbledon champion was eliminated early Monday following a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 fourth-round loss to 14th-seeded Garbine Muguruza, the 2015 winner.

Muguruza — who also won the 2016 Roland Garros tournament (French Open) — struggled against her 29-year-old German opponent. The 23-year-old Venezuelan-born Spaniard recorded 50 unforced errors, while Kerber — who also won the Australian Open and US Open in 2016 only had twelve. Both women won 101 points in the match, although Muguruza emerged victorious after finishing with 55 winners vs. Kerber’s 27.

The Spaniard had dropped all four of her previous matches at the All England Club in which she had lost the opening set. She will next face seventh-seeded Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarterfinals on Tuesday. Kuznetsova, 32, beat Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2, 6-4.

Meanwhile, tenth-seeded Venus Williams defeated 19-year-old Croatian Ana Konjuh — the 27th seed — 6-3, 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals for the second consecutive year. The 37-year-old American played her first Grand Slam at the 1997 French Open, seven months before Konjuh was born.

“Winning never gets old at any stage in your career, ever, ever,” said Williams, who finished with seven aces and won 31 of 36 first-serve points.

“I think I’m playing pretty solid,” said Williams, who last won Wimbledon in 2008. “For me, it’s about getting through the round. You’re not going to play perfect every round. I would like to play, you know, in straight sets every round. That would be great. If not, all that matters is you win.”

Williams will next play 20-year-old Latvian Jeļena Ostapenko — the 13th seed — in Tuesday’s quarterfinals.

“She’s such a great player,” Ostapenko said of Williams. “I will just go on court and enjoy the match because I really have nothing to lose.”

Before winning the French Open last month, Ostapenko had never advanced past the third round at a Grand Slam. She was the first woman to win her debut tour-level title at a Grand Slam tournament since 1979. She won the girls’ title at All England Club in 2014.

Sixth-seeded Brit Johanna Konta defeated 21st-seeded Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-4. Konta will next face second-seeded Romanian Simona Halep, who beat Belarusian Victoria Azarenka in two sets.

On the men’s side, World number one Andy Murray advanced with a 7-6 (1), 6-4, 6-4 defeat over Frenchman Benoite Paire. The 30-year-old Scotsman seemed to struggle little against Paire, who made 44 unforced errors and ten double faults despite 50 winners.

Defending Wimbledon champion Murray, on the other hand, recorded eight unforced errors, no double faults and 25 clean winners. He next faces 24th-seed American Sam Querrey — who beat Jamaica’s Kevin Anderson in five sets on Monday — in Wednesday morning’s quarterfinals.

Roger Federer — the third seed — beat 13th seed Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria 6-4, 6-2, 6-4. The 35-year-old Swiss’s next opponent has yet to be determined.

Finally, 11th-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych defeated eighth-seeded Austrian Dominic Thiem 6-3, 6-7 (1), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Berdych’s first serve went in 74 percent of the time (101/141), compared to Thiem’s 56 percent ratio, and the Czech won 83 percent of his first-serve points.

LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 08: Angelique Kerber of Germany celebrates match point and victory during the Ladies Singles third round match against Shelby Rogers of The United States on day six of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 8, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Andy Murray and Johanna Konta reached the third round of Wimbledon on Wednesday to become part of an elite group of four British players who are the first to advance to that round of the tournament in 20 years.

Heather Watson and Aljaz Bedene also advanced to round 3

Murray — the world’s top-ranked tennis star — defeated world number 97 Dustin Brown of Germany 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London.

Before that, Australian-born Konta — the tournament’s sixth seed who is the world number seven — edged past Croatia’s Donna Vekic 7-6 (7-4) 4-6 10-8 in three hours and 10 minutes of fascinating play in the grass-court event.

Konta had won only one match in the Wimbledon women’s draw before this year, but is now a strong contender to become the first British female winner of the tournament since Virginia Wade in 1977. The 26-year-old beat 23rd-ranked Taiwanese star Hsieh Su-wei in the first round in London after the 31-year-old eliminated her from the French Open last month.

“I’m here with the intention of being part of the event for the full two weeks, but as you have just seen every player gives it their all, there’s no easy match,” Konta told BBC Sport.

The other two Brits to win in the Round of 64 on Wednesday were Heather Watson — who saw off Latvian 18th seed Anastasija Sevastova 6-0 6-4 — and Aljaz Bedene, who defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Damir Dzumhur 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.

The last time at least four Britons reached the third round at Wimbledon was 1997, when Tim Henman, Mark Petchey, Greg Rusedski, Andrew Richardson and Karen Cross all advanced to that stage.

Kyle Edmund could become the fifth Brit to reach round 3 this year if he beats 15th-seeded Frenchman Gael Monfils on Thursday.

Watson and Konta also mark the first pair of British women to appear in the same third-round draw since Jo Durie and Anne Hobbes in 1986.

Also advancing to the next stage on Wednesday was fourth-seeded Spaniard Rafael Nadal, who beat American Donald Young 6-4, 6-2, 7-5.

Murray, who had been suffering from a sore hip, sped through 11 of his 13 games to beat 32-year-old Brown in one hour and 36 minutes without facing a break point and recording only five unforced errors.

“My hip is OK,” Murray told BBC Sport.  “I have moved well in the first couple of matches, it hasn’t affected me. I have been getting good practices in and it feels good. Hopefully it stays that way.”

“It’s been a good start, hopefully I can keep it going.”

Murray next faces 28th-seeded Italian Fabio Fognini in round 3 on Friday. Konta will play Greek qualifier Maria Sakkari — who will be 22 later this month — in the third round on Friday.

Nadal will face 30th-seeded Russian Karen Khachanov in round 3 on Friday.

Venus Williams — the 10th seed — also advanced by beating China’s Qiang Wang 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 after coming back from a set down. Williams next plays 19-year-old Japanese star Naomi Osaka in the third round Friday morning.

Finally, 27-year-old American Madison Brengle beat Russian 11th seed Petra Kvitova 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 to set up a third-round match against 21st-seeded Caroline Garcia of France.

LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 05: Johanna Konta of Great Britain celebrates match point and victory during the Ladies Singles second round match against Donna Vekic of Croatia on day three of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 5, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

The draws for the 2017 Wimbledon tournament were made at the All England Club in London on Friday, and defending champion Andy Murray will open the event by facing Alexander Bublik on Monday.

Angelique Kerber will face American Irina Falconi in Round 1 of Wimbledon

Murray — the world number one — won his second Wimbledon title last year and will now face Kazakhstan’s world number 134 on Centre Court at 1pm BST on Day 1 (Monday). The tournament will end on July 16.

The 30-year-old Scotsman withdrew from his final warm-up match before Wimbledon due to a sore hip, but was practicing at the All England Club on Friday.

Seven-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer will play world number 84 Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine in his first-round match this year.

The 35-year-old Swiss — who this year took a break from clay-court tournaments like the French Open to focus on grass play — is set to play 27th seeded German Mischa Zverev in the third round.

Canadian Milos Raonic — who reached a career-high No. 3 world ranking in November 2016 — defeated Federer in the Wimbledon semifinals last year and is scheduled to play the Swiss in the quarterfinals this year.

Three-time Wimbledon winner Novak Djokovic is also a top contender in this year’s tournament, as is two-time champ Rafael Nadal. 

If everything goes as planned, the top seed in men’s singles would face Stan Wawrinka — the reigning U.S. Open champion from Switzerland — in the quarterfinals before playing Nadal.

Djokovic will face Martin Klizan of Slovakia in his opening match and could also play Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro — a former U.S. Open winner and 29th seed — in the third round.

On the women’s draw, the only former winners are Venus Williams and Petra Kvitova, as defending champion Serena Williams is pregnant with her first child.

Two-time champion Kvitova — who won the warm-up event in Birmingham merely six months after being attacked by a knife-carrying assailant in her home — faces Swede Johanna Larsson in the first round.

Women’s world number one Angelique Kerber of Germany will face American qualifier Irina Falconi in the first round, and is set to play Karolina Pliskova in the semifinals.

British women’s number one Johanna Konta — a sixth seed — will face Taiwanese qualifier Hsieh Su-wei in her opening match.

NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 05: Andy Murray of Great Britain returns a shot to Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria during his fourth round Men’s Singles match on Day Eight of the 2016 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 5, 2016 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Andy Murray reached the third round of the Barcelona Open on Wednesday after Australian Bernard Tomic retired with an injury.

Andy Murray Reaches Barcelona Open Third Round, Bernard Tomic Withdraws

Tomic, who eliminated German Dustin Brown (who is also Jamaican) in three sets in Tuesday’s first round, withdrew from the tournament, saying he could not face top-seeded Brit Murray due to a lower back injury.

Murray was initially going to skip the Barcelona Open but chose to play after he was eliminated in the third round at the Monte Carlo Masters, where he lost a 4-0 lead in the deciding set to Albert Ramos-Vinolas. 

The Brit will next face 16th-seeded Spaniard Feliciano Lopez in Thursday morning’s Round of 16. Lopez defeated his countryman Albert Montañés 6-2, 6-2 on Wednesday.

Murray recently suffered a right elbow injury that sidelined him from the Miami Open and the Davis Cup quarterfinals.

Meanwhile, sixth-seeded Brit Johanna Konta, the World No. 7, reached the second round of the Porsche Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany early Wednesday with a 7-6 (7-5) 3-6 6-1 victory over Japan’s Naomi Osaka.

Konta, 25, ended up crying at a Fed Cup tie in Romania last week after the nation’s former captain, 70-year-old legend Ilie Nastase, verbally harassed her during her game against a Romanian opponent.

The young Brit expressed sympathy for 19-year-old Osaka, who is suffering from an injury that helped Konta win her match.

“I think obviously you could tell she [Osaka] was struggling, I hope everything is OK with her and she recovers quickly,” Konta said. “It was just important for me to stay on my own game. Even though I lost the second set I didn’t feel like I did much wrong.”

Konta had not lost a set in two previous matches with Osaka, although clay is her weakest surface. The pivotal moment for the Brit came when she saved two break points in the third game of the third set before then breaking the Japanese teenager’s serve in the next.

The Brit next faces Latvian Anastasija Sevastova in the Round of 16 Thursday morning.

NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 05: Andy Murray of Great Britain returns a shot to Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria during his fourth round Men’s Singles match on Day Eight of the 2016 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 5, 2016 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Kei Nishikori earned his biggest victory of 2016 on Wednesday, defeating No. 2-seed Andy Murray 1-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 in the U.S. Open Quarterfinals at Flushing Meadows.

US Open 2016 Day 10: Kei Nishikori Upsets Andy Murray, Serena Advances To Semifinals

Nishikori, the No. 6-seed from Japan, won the five-set match against the Scottish superstar in just under four hours at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“It was tough to stay calm,” said Nishikori, 26. “He started very well in the beginning, there were a lot of ups and downs in the match. But I’m very happy to win.”

The opening set proved to be an easy win for Murray, as his Japanese opponent struggled to find the range on his shots. Nishikori made 14 errors in seven games, and Murray went on a five-game run, breaking Nishikori twice and recording an ace on set point to gain an early lead.

The second set was marked by two brief rain delays by the time the score reached 3-3. When play resumed, Nishikori struck first, serving at 4-5 to level the match.

Just when it seemed Murray could take the match, his emotions got the best of him. Murray seemed angry after a loud noise that sounded like a ‘gong’ rang out, the umpire decided to replay a point at 1-1 in the fourth set, with Murray holding break point on Nishikori’s serve. The Scot seemed to lose his focus, and Nishikori cruised through the next four games and forced a deciding set.

Nishikori twice went up a break in the fifth set, but Murray didn’t give in immediately, leveling the match at 2-2 and again at 4-4. The Japanese star gained a third break at 5-5, earning a break-point chance off a double fault from Murray and then converting on it with a stab volley winner. He held serve in the following game to move into the US Open semifinals for the second time in his career.

Nishikori will next go up against third-seeded Swiss Stan Wawrinka, who defeated Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro 7-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. Novak Djokovic and 10th-seeded Frenchman Gael Monfils will face off in Friday’s other semifinal.

Following his win against Murray, Nishikori is now 5-0 against Top 10 players at the U.S. Open.

On the women’s side, top-seed Serena Williams advanced to the semifinals after seeing off fifth-ranked Romanian Simona Halep 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 on Wednesday. She will next face 10th-seeded Czech Karolína Plíšková, who beat Croatian Ana Konjuh, in Thursday night’s first semifinal. Angelique Kerber and Caroline Wozniacki will face off in the second women’s semifinal.

NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 07: Kei Nishikori of Japan returns a shot to Andy Murray of Great Britain during their Men’s Singles Quarterfinal match on Day Ten of the 2016 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 7, 2016 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Andy Murray lost only five games to cruise to a 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Bulgarian 22nd seed Grigor Dimitrov in the fourth round of the U.S. Open at Flushing Meadows on Monday night.

US Open 2016 Day 8: Andy Murray Beats Grigor Dimitrov To Reach Quarterfinals

The 29-year-old No. 2-seed Scot, the 2012 U.S. Open champion, will next face Japanese sixth-seed Kei Nishikori in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Nishikori impressed in a 6-3 6-4 7-6 (7-4) win over Croatia’s Ivo Karlovic. Wednesday’s other quarterfinal will see Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro face off against third-seeded Swiss Stan Wawrinka. On Tuesday, the first quarterfinal will see a matchup of two Frenchmen: No. 10-seed Gael Monfils and No. 24-seed Lucas Pouille. No. 1-seed Novak Djokovic and No. 9-seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France will face off in Tuesday’s second quarterfinal.

Wawrinka eliminated Ukraine’s Illya Marchenko 6-4 6-1 6-7 (5-7) 6-3, while Del Potro, champion in 2009, led Dominic Thiem 6-3 3-2 when the No. 8-seed Austrian retired with a knee injury.

In the men’s doubles, Jamie Murray and Brazil’s Bruno Soares defeated American Brian Baker and New Zealand’s Marcus Daniell 6-3 7-6 (9-7) to advance to the last eight.

Dimitrov won his previous match against Murray at the Miami Open in March, but on Monday, he only managed a few points against the Scottish superstar.

“I played extremely well,” said Murray. “Tactically I played a good match, made very few unforced errors and made it tough for Grigor.”

Murray gained a lead thanks to 140mph serves and thunderous groundstrokes. He began the third set by winning another difficult rally on route to an early break and then saving two break points with more big serves.

With just one game left to secure the victory, Murray argued with umpire Carlos Ramos at the changeover about spectators moving between points.

However, nothing ultimately proved to distract the Scotsman who, following a short rain delay, finished the match in just over two hours.

“Once I got up in the score and wasn’t giving him any free points, I could sense it was getting tough for him,” said Murray. “I just wanted to keep my foot on the gas.”

He also hit his serve speed record: an incredible 141mph.

Dimitrov admitted how exhausted he was after the match, and praised his opponent.

“Andy is the best player right now out there,” the Bulgarian said. “I ran out of fuel, I think, physically and mentally.”

On the women’s side, meanwhile, second-seed German Angelique Kerber will face seventh-seed Italian Roberta Vinci in Tuesday’s first quarterfinal. Kerber defeated 14th-seeded Czech Petra Kvitová 6-3, 7-5 on Sunday, while Vinci saw off Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko 7-6, 6-2, also on Sunday.

Tuesday’s second quarterfinal will see Denmark’s Caroline Wozniack face Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova. Also advancing to the last eight are top-seed Serena Williams, who beat Kazakhstan’s Yaroslava Shvedova 6-2, 6-3 on Monday, No. 10-seed Czech Karolína Plíšková, who defeated sixth-ranked Venus Williams 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 Monday, fifth-ranked Romanian Simona Halep, who beat 11th-ranked Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro 6-2, 7-5, and Croatia’s Ana Konjuh, who beat fourth-seeded Agnieszka Radwańska of Poland 6-4, 6-4.

NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 05: Andy Murray of Great Britain returns a shot to Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria during his fourth round Men’s Singles match on Day Eight of the 2016 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 5, 2016 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Serena Williams defeated German fourth-seed Angelique Kerber 7-5, 6-3 in London on Saturday to earn the women’s singles Wimbledon 2016 title, thus securing her first major victory in 12 months.

Andy Murray Wins Second Wimbledon Title, Serena Williams Ties Steffi Graf Record

With the win, the top-seeded American also matched German Steffi Graf’s record for the most Open era Grand Slam titles won by a female player (22).

Kerber– who defeated Serena in the final of the 2016 Australian Open in January– put up a resilient fight against Williams, but the 34-year-old American’s serving prowess ultimately proved too difficult for the German, who had not lost a single set entering Saturday’s final.

Kerber came close to losing her serve on Centre Court at the first time of asking after letting her opponent serve first, saving three break points to stay level.

The official Wimbledon Twitter account posted evidence of just how impressive the world No. 1 was in the early exchanges. After leading 4-3 in the opening set, Williams had already recorded five aces, 16 winners and only eight unforced errors.

Williams suffered a slip in the ninth game after her toes got caught on the playing surface and she appeared to roll her ankle, thus drawing concern. However, this seemed to barely affect the match as the score became tied at 5 games apiece.

Serena then timed the first break of the match perfectly. Despite Kerber saving a set point at 40-15 down, Williams took the crucial lead.

In the seventh game of the second, Kerber snatched a 40-30 lead for the first time in the match. Williams was at risk of conceding a break for the first time, but still the American thundered back with three points in succession to end the challenge quickly.

The pivotal break came when a rare, wild error from Kerber let Williams gain a 5-3 game lead before serving out the win, her seventh Wimbledon title in straight sets.

For the third time in her career, Williams has earned back-to-back Wimbledon titles. It would mark a first for the American if she could complete a hat-trick in 2017.

Kerber took the time to praise her opponent after the match.

“First of all, I would like to say congrats to Serena. I mean, you really deserve the title and your next title,” the German said in her post-match comments. “You are a great champion, you’re a great person, and it’s always an honor for me to play against you in the finals. We played a great match and congrats, you deserve it, so really well done, Serena.”

Just over six weeks now remain until the U.S. Open kicks off on August 29, where Williams can hope for a chance to win yet another title.

Meanwhile, on the men’s side, Andy Murray defeated Canadian Milos Raonic 6-4, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2) on Sunday to win his second Wimbledon title.

The 29-year-old No. 2 Brit — the heavy favorite to win the final– sat in his chair on Centre Court sobbing into his towel as the awards ceremony began.

Murray, who had humble beginnings, won his first Wimbledon title in 2013, and lost in the final to Roger Federer one year before that.

“I’ve had some great moments here and also some tough losses,” Murray said Sunday, holding the trophy close. “And obviously the wins feel extra special because of the tough losses.”

For all his achievement, he has yet to reach No. 1, and his record in Grand Slam finals coming into Sunday was an unprecedented 2-8, with all of those finals being played against either Novak Djokovic or Federer.

Raonic, the No. 6 seed, was sure to be a tough new opponent. He upset Federer in a five-set semifinal to become the first Canadian man to reach a Grand Slam singles final.

Murray did not crack on Sunday, however, making just 12 unforced errors over the three sets, limiting Raonic to just eight aces with his quick returns and routinely producing decisive passing shot combinations– especially off his backhand– as Raonic constantly charged the net, knowing he had a small chance of winning from the baseline.

“I think it’s phenomenal for him, to back up his win from three years ago,” said Raonic. “He’s been in many finals since then that he wasn’t able to make the most of. So for him it’s a big step forward. The next move is up to him. He’s got to go for it. There’s many other guys who will be trying to go for it as well. I know I will.”

Since Wimbledon in 2013, Murray has gone through back surgery and two different coaches before reuniting with his mentor Ivan Lendl last month. Murray was married to his longtime girlfriend, Kim Sears, last year, and she gave birth to their daughter, Sophia, in February.

“I’m playing for something a bit different now,” he said of Sophia in a post-match interview with ESPN. “Hopefully she’ll be proud of this one day.”

The Brit also said, however, that he views this as a more personal achievement than his 2013 title.

“I’m not suggesting this was only for me,” he said Sunday after showing off his trophy from the Centre Court balcony to thousands of fans gathered below. “I know it’s something bigger than that. But the last time it was such a big thing for a British man to win Wimbledon. It had been so long. I was so relieved that I’d done that.”

LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 10: Andy Murray of Great Britain celebrates victory during the Men’s Singles Final against Milos Raonic of Canada on day thirteen of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 10, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Roger Federer and Andy Murray both won their quarterfinal matches at Wimbledon on Wednesday to advance to the next round.

Roger Federer, Andy Murray Advance To Wimbledon Semifinals

Federer continued to impress, defeating ninth-seeded Croatian Marin Cilic 6-7, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6, 6-3. After dropping the first two sets, the third-seeded, 34-year-old Swiss fought back to win the match.

Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com praised Federer:

The Swiss was as gracious in his post-match comments as he was on the court.

“I knew I was in so much trouble,” he said of falling behind, per Wimbledon on Twitter. “It was great fun playing Marin, he’s one of the nicest guys on tour, so I feel sorry for him.”

Federer then added, “I was able to sustain a high level—my legs were there, my back was there. Mentally this is going to give me a hell of a boost.”

He was the favorite to win the match, as nobody has ever won more matches than him at Grand Slam events.

SportsCenter also reported that only American Jimmy Connors has matched Federer’s record 84 wins at Wimbledon in the Open Era.

Federer finished with both more aces (27-23) and winners (67-59) in his match against Cilic. He will next face sixth-seeded Canadian Milos Raonic in Friday’s semifinal. Raonic defeated 28th-ranked American Sam Querrey 6-4, 7-5, 5-7, 6-4.

Querrey defeated Novak Djokovic earlier in the tournament in what was perhaps one of the biggest upsets of the year.

Raonic controlled the match with his serve, winning 87 percent of his first-serve points while blasting 58 winners. Querrey also managed to create just two break chances in the entire match, breaking the Canadian only once, and finished with 28 unforced errors.

“I’ll give it everything and hope for a better result than last time,” Raonic said of his second trip to the semifinals. He last played in a semifinal in London in 2014, losing in straight sets to Federer.

Murray defeated 12th-ranked Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6, 6-1, 3-6, 4-6, 6-1. The second-seed Brit held off Tsonga in a tense first-set tie-breaker that Murray ultimately won, 12-10. Murray capitalized in the second set with a 6-1 win, but then dropped the following two sets. Tsonga smashed five aces in the third. However, the Brit fought back to ultimately take the match.

Finally, 10th-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych defeated 32nd-ranked Frenchman Lucas Pouille 7-6, 6-3, 6-2. After fighting hard in the opening-set tie-breaker– which he eventually won 7-4–, Berdych comfortably cruised to advance to his second Wimbledon final.

Berdych won 87 percent of his first-serve points, blasted 35 winners, benefited from Pouille’s 34 unforced errors and allowed the Frenchman just four break points and one break in the match. It was a strong showing from Berdych, who lost the 2010 Wimbledon final to Spaniard Rafael Nadal. 

“I hoped that one day I would be able to use my Wimbledon final experience again,” Berdych said after the match.

He will next face Murray in Friday’s second semifinal. Murray will be the favorite, having already won a title.

PHOTO: LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 06: Roger Federer of Switzerland plays a forehand during the Men’s Singles Quarter Finals match against Marin Cilic of Croatia on day nine of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 6, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images)

The favorites for the 2016 Wimbledon title in both the men’s and women’s draw delivered on Monday’s fourth-round matchups, as Andy Murray, Roger Federer, Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber all cruised to the quarterfinals.

Wimbledon Monday Recap: Andy Murray, Serena Williams Advance To Quarterfinals

The biggest upset of the day came on the women’s side, where third-seeded Pole Agnieszka Radwanska fell 6-3, 5-7, 9-7 to 19th-seeded Dominika Cibulková of Slovakia in more than three hours. Cibulkova crashed to the lawn after the final point before sharing a long hug with Radwanska, while the fans in attendance gave the two a standing ovation for what was perhaps the best match of the day. Cibulkova will next play Russian Elena Vesnina on Tuesday.

First-seeded Williams overcame a shaky start and a rain delay to defeat her longtime rival, 13th-seeded Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova 7-5, 6-0, dominating the latter part of the match with her serve and some excellent groundstrokes. Williams had previously defeated 22-year-old German Annika Beck in the third round on Sunday, and she will next face No. 21 Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova on Tuesday.

Second-seeded Murray, 29, also played some fantastic tennis against fifteenth-seeded, 21-year-old Australian Nick Kyrgios, winning 7-5, 6-1, 6-4. Kyrgios was able to keep up with the former Scottish Wimbledon champion early when his serve was clicking, but faltered when Murray made some adjustments in the return game. Murray had previously defeated Australian John Millman 6-3, 7-5, 6-2 on Saturday.

Third-seeded Federer, meanwhile, finished off American Steve Johnson 6-2, 6-3, 7-5. The 34-year-old Swiss appeared to slow down somewhat in the third set, but his groundstrokes and slices were on point. He will next face ninth-seed Croatian Martin Cilic on Wednesday.

Cilic defeated fifth-ranked Kei Nishikori 6-1, 5-1, after the 26-year-old Japanese was forced to retire early due to a rib injury. According to Rekord‘s Jose Morgado, he later confirmed he has been carrying the injury for some time:

Seventh-seeded Richard Gasquet also retired early due to injury, losing to fellow Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (No. 12). Tsonga helped show that countryman stick together in a touching moment after the match by helping his opponent carry one of his bags off the court, according to Wimbledon’s official Twitter account:

Tsonga will next face Murray on Wednesday.

Fourth-seeded German Kerber dropped just four games on route to an easy 6-3, 6-1 win over Japanese 25-year-old Misaki Doi. 

Here is how the women fared:

Maria Sharapova officially appealed her two-year ban from tennis Tuesday, in the sports world’s highest court.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport, in Lausanne, Switzerland, heard the case yesterday and agreed to an “expedited procedure” that will render a ruling by July 18 at the latest, leaving the door open for the 29 year-old to participate in the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, should she win the appeal.

Currently ranked 34th in the world, according to the most recent Women’s Tennis Association rankings, Sharapova won silver for Russia at the London Olympic Games in 2012.

MARIA SHARAPOVA ADMITS TO FAILING TEST

Sharapova was suspended by the International Tennis Federation in early March, but the announcement was not made public until the Russian native called a press conference to address the suspension March 7 in Los Angeles, attempting to explain why she failed the screening.

“A few days ago I received a letter from the ITF that I had failed a drug test at the Australian Open,” Sharapova said from the podium at The LA Hotel Downtown back in March. “I did fail the test and I take full responsibility for it.”

Despite those sentiments, not a moment later, Sharapova attempted to justify her positive test.

“For the past 10 years I have been given a medicine, called mildronate, by my doctor, by my family doctor and a few days ago, after I received the ITF letter, I found out that it also has another name of meldonium,” Sharapova told reporters. “It’s very important for you to understand this medicine was not on (the World Anti-Doping Association’s) banned list and I had been legally taking the medicine for the past 10 years.”

The suspension of a five-time Grand-Slam champion, whom has also held the world’s No. 1 ranking on five ccassions, sent shockwaves through the tennis world.

MARIA SHARAPOVA’S CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Although the ITF’s three-person, independent panel said they did not believe Sharapova intended to break the rules, they found she bore “sole responsibility” with “very significant fault” for the test’s positive result.

Sharapova’s attorney, John Haggerty, feels confident his client will at least have her suspension reduced.

“The ITF Tribunal concluded she had no intent to do anything wrong, and she thinks a two-year suspension is unfairly harsh,” Haggerty said, via ESPN.com.

Not everyone agrees with Sharapova and her attorney.

One of the most recognizable faces in Men’s Tennis, Andy Murray, has held a strong stance in favor of anti-doping policies.

Murray did not shy away from reiterating that stance when speaking at The Aegon Championships in London Tuesday.

“I do feel like if you’re cheating, and you know, or caught and gaining advantage on your opponents, then you know, you obviously have to be punished for that,” Murray said, adding, “If you’re taking, you know, any medication … it’s your responsibility as the athlete to check and make sure that what you’re taking is legal.”

Novak Djokovic made history Sunday after he defeated Britain’s Andy Murray 3-6 6-1 6-2 6-4 in the Roland Garros final.

Novak Djokovic Wins French Open, Completes Grand Slam Collection

The World No. 1 Serb is now the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win four consecutive grand slams. He is also the eighth man to complete the career grand slam, as well as the first man to claim the first two majors in a calendar year since Jim Courier in 1992.

Murray lost after sending a backhand into the net on a third match point, after which Djokovic fell to the court on his back, basking in his victory of the world’s premier clay-court tournament in Paris after losing three times, including last year to Swiss Stan Wawrinka. 

The crowd on Philippe Chatrier court cheered loudly following the win.

“I felt that kind of support and love from the people around that allowed me to be sitting here with the trophy,” Djokovic told reporters. “That kind of support was very well present at the stadium today.”

He drew a heart into the clay with his racket, copying Gustavo Kuerten’s celebration when the Brazilian won the French Open in 2001, and dropped himself in the middle of it. Djokovic, now a 12-time grand-slam champion, received Kuerten’s approval, he stated, while they were filming videos for a tournament partner.

Murray fell to 2-8 in grand slam finals and 2-13 in his past 15 matches against his childhood friend Djokovic.

Meanwhile, Spaniard Garbine Muguruza upset Serena Williams 7-5 6-4 on Saturday to win the first grand slam of her career. Muguruza also stripped the American of tying Steffi Graf’s Open Era record of 22 majors. She is also the first Spanish woman to win the French Open since Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario in 1998.

Muguruza’s deadly serve came to her aid more than once in the final, particularly when facing break points in the first set, although she also double faulted nine times. The 22-year-old Venezuelan-born Spaniard secured the title with a stunning lob.

“I’m pretty shocked still,” Muguruza told reporters about 2.5 hours later. “I think I’ve got to take my time and enjoy, because with tennis players it goes so fast. For Spanish people this is the tournament. When you’re a kid and practice on clay, you’re always, ‘Oh, I wish I could win Roland Garros.'”

She made the decision to represent Spain in team competitions just two years ago.

If fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal’s wrist heals in time, he is expected to partner Muguruza in mixed doubles at the Olympics in August.

Williams defeated Muguruza in the Wimbledon final last July but lost to her at the French Open in 2014. The American lost the title for the third straight major.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAgvF9wONAY

PARIS, FRANCE – JUNE 05: Novak Djokovic of Serbia hits a forehand during the Men’s Singles final match against Andy Murray of Great Britain on day fifteen of the 2016 French Open at Roland Garros on June 5, 2016 in Paris, France. (Photo by Dennis Grombkowski/Getty Images)

Andy Murray fought hard to defeat wildcard Frenchman Mathias Bourgue in five sets in Paris on Wednesday to advance to the third round of the French Open.

Andy Murray Wins In Five Sets To Reach Roland Garros Third Round

The World No. 2 Brit lost eight straight games to drop the second and third sets to the 22-year-old Avignon, France native, who is ranked 164th in the world.

Murray, 29, finished off Bourgue 6-2 2-6 4-6 6-2 6-3. He also won in five sets in the first round against veteran Czech Radek Stepanek.

Fellow Brit Kyle Edmund lost 6-4 6-4 6-4 to American 15th seed John Isner. The only other British player remaining in the singles tournament is Aljaz Bedene, who plays on Thursday.

Murray’s inconsistent form as of late has been puzzling, considering he defeated Serb powerhouse Novak Djokovic in the Italian Open final in his last match on clay. He will now face 27th seed Ivo Karlovic from Croatia in the third round on Friday.

Karlovic, 37, beat Australian Jordan Thompson 12-10 in the final set to become the oldest man to make the third round since Jimmy Connors in 1991.

The World No. 2 took the time to praise Bourgue for his performance after the match. “Mathias was excellent and made me run a lot. He’s got a fantastic future for sure,” he said. “I led 6-2 2-0 then he started playing unbelievably and I was finding it hard to win points, let alone games. I’ve played matches like this before and just tried to fight through to the end.

Murray told BBC Sport he did not have an explanation for his inconsistent form. “You can’t play too many matches like this if you want to go far in this tournament. I hope to win the next one a little bit faster,” he said, adding, “I just lost my way.”

Murray appeared to be in total control, leading 2-0 in the second set, but his playing quickly fell apart.

Bourgue, who had never played a Tour-level match prior to this week, broke Murray three times and won six consecutive games, including 16 unanswered points to win the set and even the match.

The pattern continued as Murray double-faulted twice and committed even more unforced errors in the opening game of the following set.

The Brit finally broke Bourgue’s eight-game winning run by taking the third game of the set. Murray served for the match at 5-1 but failed to close it out before finally sealing victory after three hours and 34 minutes on court.

Bourgue hit more winners (55 to Murray’s 46), produced fewer unforced errors (44 to Murray’s 45) and won 138 points compared to Murray’s tally of 137.

“I’d been waiting for this for a long time, that’s what I play tennis for. I’m happy even if I lost,” Bourgue said. “It will remain a great memory.”

Defending champion Stan Wawrinka, the No.3-seed Swiss, defeated Japan’s Taro Daniel 7-6 (9-7) 6-3 6-4, also on Wednesday.

Kei Nishikori, the No.5-seed from Japan, also advanced to the third round of Roland Garros following a 6-3 6-3 6-3 victory over Russian Andrey Kuznetsov. 

ROME, ITALY – MAY 13: Andy Murray of Great Britain in action against David Goffin of Belguim during day six of the The Internazionali BNL d’Italia 2016 on May 13, 2016 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)

Andy Murray was forced to play very hard to defeat Czech veteran Radek Stepanek and win the first-round match of Roland Garros in five sets in Paris on Monday.

Andy Murray Rallies To Beat Radek Stepanek At French Open

The 29-year-old first-ranked Brit found himself struggling and lost the first two sets 3-6, 3-6. However, he bounced back to win the next two sets 6-0, 6-2.

In the fifth set, Stepanek, 37, stepped up his serve-volley game to mitigate the threat of Murray’s powerful baseline game, and took a 4-3 lead in the decider. However, the Brit finished Stepanek off 7-5 in the final set to clinch the victory.

Play was briefly suspended during Monday night’s first-round men’s matchup because of bad light.

Murray will now move on to the second round to face French wildcard Mathias Bourgue, who is ranked 164 in the world. Murray also praised Stepanek following his victory, saying: “He had an extremely bad injury last year and was out for eight or nine months. Still at 37 years old to be coming out and fighting like that and playing that way is unbelievable.” The Brit then continued, “I wasn’t able to dictate many points and I couldn’t find any rhythm and that’s credit to how he played. I fought extremely hard and thankfully I will be back to play again tomorrow.”

The last time Murray lost in the first round of a Grand Slam was in 2008.

Another Brit, Aljaz Bedene, also won in the first round, beating Austrian Jurgen Melzer 4-6 6-3 6-4 6-4 earlier on Tuesday. South African-born Brit Kyle Edmund, 21, defeated Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili in four sets.

On the women’s side fellow Brit Heather Watson, 24, beat out another youngster, 23-year-old American Nicole Gibbs, 5-7 6-2 6-2 on Monday.  

Johanna Konta and Laura Robson will both play their first-round matches later on Tuesday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAygj0K9L9g

PHOTO: ROME, ITALY – MAY 13: Andy Murray of Great Britain in action against David Goffin of Belguim during day six of the The Internazionali BNL d’Italia 2016 on May 13, 2016 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)