Spectators at Friday’s blockbuster match between Andy Murray and Stefanos Tsitsipas will have noticed the Greek world No 5’s talent for tie-breaks. In that match, he won two. In his opening round, against the former US Open winner Dominic Thiem, he won three, including the 10-point super tie-break that decide final sets at grand slams. He has played 223 tie-breaks in his career and won 60% of them. As the tournament entered its first weekend, his prowess under pressure showed again.
Relegated to No 2 Court in view of the fact his opponent was Serbia’s fourth best player, Laslo Djere, rather than the home favourite Murray, Tsitsipas described his straight-sets win – 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-4 – as “the first match this week I’ve made it easy for me”.
