Andy Murray marked his 1,000th tour match with a first-round 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win towards Australia’s Alexei Popyrin on the ATP Queen’s Membership Championships on Tuesday, in what his prone to be his final look on the match.
In February, the three-time Grand Slam champion had forged doubts over persevering with to play past this summer time. He was named in Nice Britain’s staff for the Olympics however mentioned his involvement on the Video games is contingent on how his physique holds up over the “subsequent few weeks.”
In anticipation of his possible farewell from the sport, the All England Garden Tennis Membership have additionally revealed plans to honour Murray this yr at Wimbledon, the place he is set to play doubles along with his brother, Jamie.
Following his first-round exit from the Stuttgart Open earlier within the month, Murray earned his first win of the grass-court season on Tuesday after a hard-fought encounter with Popyrin.
The Australian, who broke into the highest 50 for the primary time this yr, struggled for rhythm within the first set, committing 9 unforced errors to cede the set 6-3 to Murray.
However Popyrin did nicely to regain his composure and took the second set after breaking the Brit on the first time of asking. Murray hardly ever appeared snug by means of the match, seemingly troubled by a minor grievance.
However roared on by a sellout crowd, Murray bounced again. The momentum shifted again in his favour within the third recreation of the deciding set, after a superb cross-court go noticed him acquire benefit after which finally break Popyrin.
The 37-year-old held his serve, held his nerve and finally secured passage to the second spherical of the match he is gained 5 instances.
“I did not realise; my mum advised me it is my 1,000th match on tour. Lots of matches and lots of put on and tear on the physique. It is not simple, however I am pushing by means of it,” Murray mentioned after the sport.
“I have never gotten too many wins this yr. It has been a tough season, however I did nicely to come back by means of ultimately.
“Any win you may get is necessary, that is why we’re enjoying. To attempt to win matches. With Wimbledon a couple of weeks away, I need to attempt to construct up confidence and get some matches in my legs.”
British No.1 Jack Draper, who gained his first title on the Stuttgart Open final Sunday, started the match with a 6-3, 6-2 win towards Argentina’s Mariano Navone.
Dan Evans was pressured to retire halfway by means of his first-round match towards Brandon Nakashima due to harm.
Evans went down screaming following a slip in the back of the court docket. After a prolonged break for therapy, he was pressured to withdraw from the sport.
The 34-year-old subsequently pulled out of the doubles occasion at Queen’s, the place he was set to companion Murray, and his involvement at Wimbledon and the Olympics is now in danger.
On the Birmingham Open, Katie Boulter was pressured to retire throughout her first-round recreation towards Anhelina Kalinina as a result of sickness. Caroline Wozniacki made her return to grass-court motion on the identical match, however suffered a 6-4, 6-1 loss to Belgian fifth seed Elise Mertens.
Amelia Rajecki and Heather Watson had been knocked out of their first spherical matches whereas Britain No. 2 Harriet Dart gained her opening match towards Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima 6-3, 6-3.
