After at times a lackluster performance against Italy’s Fabio Fognini, Andy Murray came alive in the fourth set to save the match and win 6-2, 4-6, 6-1, 7-5.
With David Beckham looking on in the royal box, Andy Murray prevented an energized Fabio Fognini from taking it a fifth set by digging deep in the fourth set to make it through to his faceoff with France’s Benoit Paire, who will likely be an easier opponent to play.
“The end of the match was tense. It was a very up and down match, I didn’t feel it was the best tennis at times, it was a bit tense, but I managed to get through,” said a relieved Murray afterwards. “When you’re playing a guy who has all of the shots like him it’s difficult. It was also getting dark towards the end… I didn’t feel like I moved as well today as I did in the first two matches but I’ve got a couple of days off now to work on that.”
It was a long match, with Murray looking drained going into the fourth set, disappointing the English crowd who were hoping the Brit would pull through, even when he was down 5-2. Credit goes to Murray for finding the fight to pull off five games in a row to bring the set to a close at two hours and 39 minutes, with darkness closing in on the players. If the set had gone to a fifth, it’s likely the roof would have been closed.
Both players rose to the occasion during the thrilling fourth set, with the stress of the match closing in on them. The Italian was penalized a point for an obscene gesture while the Brit complained about the amount of time his opponent was taking in between points.
As Murray leveled things up from behind, with momentum on his side, an appreciative, pro-Brit crowd rose to their feet as their favorite served for the set and let out a victory scream.
Murray avenged his loss to Fognini in Rome just shy of two months ago. They are now even in their head-to-head stats with three apiece. Murray’s matchup with Paire is more in his favor, having only played him once, but beaten him last year in Monte Carlo.
“He has very good hands, moves well, takes a lot of chances, goes for his shots,” Murray said about the Frenchman. “Again, he can be quite up and down. I expect that to be tricky. I’ve never played him on the grass before.”
But Murray fans may not be able to celebrate just yet. The Scot has been nursing a hip injury that forced him to pull out of Hurlingham just last week. The match with Fognini shows he’s still not playing at 100% and that he will continue to deal with the hip issue as he progresses in his favorite tournament.
“I felt a little bit off balance,” Murray admitted after the match.
The world No. 1 will need the few days’ rest and rehab to prepare for the next one. The Wimbledon crowds will probably continue to do their part and try to steer their favorite player through.