Andy Murray is just two victories away from capping his farewell career with a medal at Paris 2024, as he and his men’s doubles partner, Dan Evans, progressed to the quarter-finals after a nail-biting victory against Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen, saving two match points along the way.
The thrilling scoreline of 6-3, 6-7 (8-10), (11-9) marked yet another escape act after their earlier heart-stopping match in the first round, where they fought back from five match points down to defeat Kei Nishikori and Taro Daniel. On this occasion, they faced two match points against them before rallying back, with Evans sealing the win with a powerful volley, leading to jubilant celebrations as he jumped into Murray’s embrace.
In a display of sheer joy, Murray, a two-time Olympic singles champion and three-time Grand Slam victor, now harbors realistic aspirations of departing the sport with a bang at 37 years old. Awaiting them in the next round are either the American duo of Tommy Paul and Taylor Fritz or the Dutch pair of Robin Haase and Jean-Julien Rojer. A victory in that match would see them through to the semi-finals with at least a bronze medal guaranteed.
By prolonging this final chapter in his professional career, Murray avoids a quiet exit. The match took place before a sparse crowd at Court Suzanne-Lenglen, the second-largest venue at Roland Garros. Earlier in the day, the arena had been filled to capacity for the highly anticipated matchup between Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, but it largely emptied by the time Murray and Evans took to the court.
Perhaps many ticket holders chose to seek relief from the oppressive heat. As Evans began serving at 8:23 PM local time, the temperature soared to 31 degrees with stifling humidity. Throughout the afternoon, conditions were nearly deemed unsafe for play, prompting officials to activate sprinklers in public areas to cool down spectators. Several attendees were spotted receiving medical treatment after seemingly succumbing to the heat.
Murray had surgery for a cyst on his back in June but returned in time to compete this summer. Unfortunately, he could not make his final appearance at Wimbledon earlier this month when his mixed doubles partner, Emma Raducanu, withdrew. The Olympics had always been his target for a grand farewell; hence he opted out of the singles competition last week to bolster his doubles chances.
Joined by Evans, who is not far behind at 34 and brings an energetic presence, they surged to a 3-0 lead in the first set. Murray displayed glimpses of his former brilliance with a perfectly timed return that troubled Vliegen’s serve early in the match and an exquisite lob during his first service game moments later. Their timing was impeccable, and communication between the duo was evidently more effective than in their previous nail-biter.
This decisive period proved crucial. Gille and Vliegen, ranked joint 35th in ATP men’s doubles, were always going to put up a strong resistance, and while Murray and Evans secured the first set, the second was tightly contested. With both pairs maintaining strong serves, a tie-break loomed early. The duo missed two match points, and when Evans double-faulted, the prospect of a swift exit became all too real.
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At 9-7 down, it seemed like the end was imminent. With conditions still humid as the clock neared 10:30 PM, none of the quartet left on the court are in their youth, yet the Belgians appeared to be in superior form. However, they underestimated Murray’s incredible determination, who struck an unplayable straight return to win one of four consecutive points. It was up to Evans to seal the deal, bringing them closer to their fairytale ending.
