Murray back with a bang in Queen's Club doubles triumph
By Joe Bailey for MurraysWorld.com on June 24, 2019, 12:44 pm
Andy Murray enjoyed a week beyond his dreams in the doubles draw at London’s Queen’s Club, marking his return from a potentially career-ending injury with an unexpected title to add to his glittering haul.
The week culminated in Sunday’s final victory with partner Feliciano Lopez against the more established transatlantic partnership of Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury, 7-6 (8-6), 5-7, 10-5.
As recently as January, Murray’s sporting obituary was being written by pundits, fans and his fellow players after a tearful news conference in Australia at which Murray announced his likely retirement after this year’s Wimbledon.
Instead, with Wimbledon beginning next week, the flame of renewed optimism burns brightly as Murray eyes more doubles glory and a possible return to singles competition. For his legion of fans and no doubt the man himself, the glorious return to the west London scene of five previous singles titles has put a spring in the step.
Besides taking the doubles title with Murray, Lopez also grabbed the singles crown with victory earlier on Sunday against Gilles Simon, making the week one for both men to remember for a lifetime.
Murray underwent hip resurfacing shortly after that Melbourne news conference in order to relieve chronic pain that had made everyday tasks excruciating and wrecked the last few years of his career. To see him play with sharpness, grit and a smile in this past week, it was as though this nightmarish period had never happened.
Belatedly beginning the week on Thursday following several days of rain interruption to the tournament, Murray and Lopez dispatched with the world’s number one doubles pairing in Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah.
This single victory was sweet enough, but it was followed by another win in the quarter finals against the all-British team of Dan Evans and Ken Skupski – another match interrupted by rain and carried over from Friday into Saturday.
If that wasn’t enough, the quarter final was immediately followed by the semi final against John Peers and Henri Kontinen. Lopez had booked his place in the singles final already on Saturday and the marathon man headed into dreamland with Murray as they booked their place in Sunday’s final via a champion’s tiebreak.
By the time of Sunday’s doubles final, Lopez had been crowned the singles champion and the special few days was capped by another brilliant champion’s tiebreak performance.
Afterwards, Murray reported no pain in his hip and was all smiles as he looked ahead to the tournaments to come. Having thought only a few months ago that his participation in the sport he loves was effectively over, he is clearly now hungry for more court time and more success.
Murray moves on immediately to the Nature Valley International in Eastbourne, where he will again play in the doubles competition with Marcelo Melo of Brazil. Murray’s first opponents, oddly enough, will be Cabal and Farah again.
The week culminated in Sunday’s final victory with partner Feliciano Lopez against the more established transatlantic partnership of Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury, 7-6 (8-6), 5-7, 10-5.
As recently as January, Murray’s sporting obituary was being written by pundits, fans and his fellow players after a tearful news conference in Australia at which Murray announced his likely retirement after this year’s Wimbledon.
Instead, with Wimbledon beginning next week, the flame of renewed optimism burns brightly as Murray eyes more doubles glory and a possible return to singles competition. For his legion of fans and no doubt the man himself, the glorious return to the west London scene of five previous singles titles has put a spring in the step.
Besides taking the doubles title with Murray, Lopez also grabbed the singles crown with victory earlier on Sunday against Gilles Simon, making the week one for both men to remember for a lifetime.
Murray underwent hip resurfacing shortly after that Melbourne news conference in order to relieve chronic pain that had made everyday tasks excruciating and wrecked the last few years of his career. To see him play with sharpness, grit and a smile in this past week, it was as though this nightmarish period had never happened.
Belatedly beginning the week on Thursday following several days of rain interruption to the tournament, Murray and Lopez dispatched with the world’s number one doubles pairing in Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah.
This single victory was sweet enough, but it was followed by another win in the quarter finals against the all-British team of Dan Evans and Ken Skupski – another match interrupted by rain and carried over from Friday into Saturday.
If that wasn’t enough, the quarter final was immediately followed by the semi final against John Peers and Henri Kontinen. Lopez had booked his place in the singles final already on Saturday and the marathon man headed into dreamland with Murray as they booked their place in Sunday’s final via a champion’s tiebreak.
By the time of Sunday’s doubles final, Lopez had been crowned the singles champion and the special few days was capped by another brilliant champion’s tiebreak performance.
Afterwards, Murray reported no pain in his hip and was all smiles as he looked ahead to the tournaments to come. Having thought only a few months ago that his participation in the sport he loves was effectively over, he is clearly now hungry for more court time and more success.
Murray moves on immediately to the Nature Valley International in Eastbourne, where he will again play in the doubles competition with Marcelo Melo of Brazil. Murray’s first opponents, oddly enough, will be Cabal and Farah again.
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Thanks for the excellent report Joe on what was an amazing few days. Great pic too. It's wonderful to see Andy back and enjoying his tennis and his life again free from the debilitating pain he'd been enduring for so long.
June 24, 2019, 09:14 pm
By Aileen
By Aileen