The Andy Murray farewell has been five years in the making. One wonders quite when it might eventually reach its end, but inevitably there are a few more dramatic twists and turns to come.
For much of the match against Belgium’s Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen, Murray and Dan Evans suggested it would have none of the drama of Sunday night, when they saved five match points against Japan’s Kei Nishikori and Taro Daniel to extend Murray’s career by at least 48 hours.
But they failed to convert two second-set points for a straight-sets win and it headed for another match tiebreak, which ebbed and flowed from Murray’s career ending to him daring to dream that he might yet pick up a medal in the final tournament of his career.
Evans had jokingly threatened to walk off court if they found themselves staring down five match points. This time it was just two, and they saved both.
Moments later, they got a third match point of their own. Evans converted it with a smash and then jubilantly jumped up and down in celebration.
It was a performance which was night and day from their previous outing, when they played tentatively like a pair conscious that it might be Murray’s last time on court competitively.
This time around, that fear again seemed to creep in late on as the close friends played akin to an established doubles pair in sync with one another.
Their 6-3, 6-7, 11-9 win set up a quarter-final tie against either the American pair of Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul or Dutch duo Robin Haase and Jean-Julien Rojer. Those teams go head to head on Wednesday for a place in the last eight.
In their opener, Murray and Evans looked out of sorts, occasionally lethargic but also showing their respective ailments – Murray’s back and Evans’ knee.
Against the Belgians, they didn’t and came out of the blocks rapidly, got a quick break of serve against Vliegen and, although they faced a break point on the final Evans service game, saw off that first set for a deserved lead.
The atmosphere was a tad muted for a potential farewell to one of the modern greats having been packed for the preceding match to see Rafael Nadal, also well into his own farewell tour, combine with Carlos Alcaraz to reach the last eight. If the stars align, they would meet the British duo in the final.
Murray will thank Evans for the prolongment of his career. He played superbly, volleying well, lobbing the Belgians to good effect and getting in their faces with his “let’s go” celebrations.
From the word go, there was clearly a strong game plan crafted by Louis Cayer, who heads up the LTA’s doubles programme and is generally regarded as the world’s best coach in the format.
The tally of winners in that first set – 19 to their opponents’ 10 – told the story of a far more aggressive game plan.
Unlike the first set, Vliegen was no longer the weak link, finding his rhythm and big shots. But his first notable error came in the opening point, which gave the British duo a mini-break chance.
Any sense that Murray and Evans might then wrap up the set comfortably evaporated as both players double-faulted to suggest there might yet be more drama.
And so it proved, the Belgians forcing a deciding tiebreak. Such were the fine margins, either side could have won and yet somehow it was Murray and Evans again who edged it.
