Murray makes winning start on his Wimbledon comeback

Britain’s Andy Murray defeated Nikoloz Basilashvili on his Wimbledon comeback

Two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray made a winning return to the All England Club with a 6-4 6-3 5-7 6-3 first-round victory over Nikoloz Basilashvili in front of a raucous crowd on opening Monday.

Competing in the singles for the first time since 2017 after being granted a wild card, the Scot showed all his grass-court prowess in the opening couple of sets, and he appeared to be cruising to victory in the third after moving 5-0 up.

But the Georgian 24th seed staged a remarkable comeback by winning seven games in a row, saving two match points, to send the contest into a fourth set.

That meant a delay while the Centre Court roof was closed and Murray regrouped, moved back in front and this time finished the job off to complete a nervy four-set win on his fourth match point.

“I keep getting asked if this is going to be my last Wimbledon, last match. No. I’m going to keep playing. I want to play. I’m enjoying it. I can still play at the highest level.”

Andy Murray

In his on-court interview, Murray said: “It’s amazing to be back out here playing again on Centre Court. It’s such a brilliant atmosphere, and that’s something that since I came back I really missed was playing in front of the fans.

“I did well to win the the fourth set in the end because that was mentally not easy going back to the locker room after losing the third.

“I was just really disappointed I’d lost the third and I had to remember what it was I was doing that was winning the match. I cut out some of the drop shots, managed to serve a bit better and turned it around.”

Murray has had two operations and a metal hip inserted since he limped out at the quarter-final stage four years ago against Sam Querrey and his career has been derailed as a result.

The 34-year-old has battled a succession of injury issues which have restricted his ability to put together a number of matches, but Wimbledon is Murray’s happy hunting ground, and he conjured up some impressive tennis at times to mark a successful return to his favourite Grand Slam tournament.

With Basilashvili an opponent of some calibre and a two-time ATP Tour champion this season, there were fears Murray’s return could also be his Wimbledon swansong.

But the 34-year-old has been consistently bullish about his chances of returning to the top of the game if his body cooperates, and the test will now be whether he can back up this match against one of two qualifiers, Oscar Otte
or Arthur Rinderknech, who were tied at 9-9 in the fifth when their match was suspended.

On his struggles of the last four years, Murray said: “It’s been extremely rough. Even these last few months, I didn’t have the most serious of injuries but it was extremely frustrating not being able to get on court.

“I kept trying, kept working hard, doing all the right things to get me back in this position. I feel very lucky I get to do it again.

“I keep getting asked if this is going to be my last Wimbledon, last match. No. I’m going to keep playing. I want to play. I’m enjoying it. I can still play at the highest level. He’s ranked 28 in the world. I’ve hardly played any matches and I beat him.”

Liam Broady upset world No 86 Marco Cecchinato to make the second round

Liam Broady registered just his second win at Wimbledon as he swept aside Marco Cecchinato in straight sets.

The British No 5, who last won at the All England Club in 2015, dispatched the Italian 6-3 6-4 6-0 on Court No 3.

The 27-year-old lost in the first round in 2016 and 2018 and did not qualify in 2017 and 2019, but he looked at home with a resilient display to set up a meeting with either ninth-seed Diego Schwartzman or Benoit Paire in the next round.

Asked why this result has been so long in coming, he replied: “I mean, to be honest, I’m the first person that feels that way.

“But I look back now and it’s a longer journey than I thought it would have been. Obviously maybe I messed around a lot more than other people might have done who were sort of similar ages to me, my peers.

“But if I hadn’t have done that, would I know what I know now? Would I be in the same position I am now? Who knows. One thing I am is grateful I’m in this position again because I nearly stopped playing tennis. At the end of the day I’ll take what I can get.

“I played some pretty bad tennis over the years. But probably the end of 2018 I was pretty close to hanging the rackets up.”

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