Andy Murray was left crying ‘happy tears’ as he and Dan Evans reached the Paris Olympics doubles quarter-finals in another epic Roland-Garros clash.
Murray and Evans came out on top in a rollercoaster second-round battle on Tuesday as they narrowly edged past Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen, just two days after they incredibly saved five match points in their opening victory.
The Team GB duo secured a stunning 6-3 6-7 (8-10) 11-9 win – after saving two more match points and missing two themselves – and will next face Team USA’s Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul or Dutch duo Robin Haase and Jean-Julien Rojer.
Murray, 37, is playing his ‘last ever tennis tournament’ before he officially enters retirement and hangs up his racket, although he will surely now have his sights on a fourth overall Olympic medal before bringing his superb career to an end.
‘Tonight we deserved to win,’ Murray told the BBC. ‘In the first round we were lucky – tonight if it had gone the other way it would have been unfortunate. We were playing well and had lots of chances.
‘We played every point and come up with some great returns when we were down in the third set and we served it out really well, but we left it too close to comfort. It was way better than the first match, certainly from my side – there was nerves in the first match and I didn’t serve well at all.
‘Today from my side I was much happier with how I served and we gave them few chances on the return. If we can serve that way and combine like that we will be tough to beat – obviously winning matches like that builds confidence. The opponents will see that as well, that we have been coming back and always there at the end – that helps.’
The British sporting legend could not handle his emotions after he and Evans wrapped up the victory, leaping in the air and jumping into his partner’s arms, after once again saving multiple match points to keep their remarkable run alive.
Murray ran down the sideline to celebrate with the rest of the British team – and walked over to his seat – where he then dramatically dropped and burst into tears.
The clash with Gille and Vliegen took lots of twists and turns, especially in the second set, as Murray and Evans missed two match points to close it out in straight-sets.
The second set eventually went to a tie-break, where Murray lost his temper and kicked off at the umpire over a let which was called out at a crucial moment.
Murray walked over to the umpire’s chair, gesticulating and haranguing, before angrily shouting: ‘Mate, you have got to hear that, it is so obvious!’
Ultimately, though, it did not matter as Murray and Evans booked their spot in the last eight of the men’s doubles.
‘Andy Murray doesn’t want to go home!’
‘I don’t think he (Murray) wants to go home does he?’ Dan Evans joked after he and Andy Murray reached the last eight in Paris.
‘He’s amazing to play with, it’s an amazing atmosphere. To be a part of this is amazing regardless of what’s happening and I’m over the moon.’
‘It’s unbelievably emotional,’ Murray added. ‘You’re obviously unbelievably happy and then for whatever reason, you’ve got happy tears I don’t know why that’s the case.
‘I was really emotional at the end of the match – extremely happy, excited that we managed to get through with another amazing finish. It takes a lot out of you so I’m glad we get a day off tomorrow.’
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