THE SHOW GOES ON

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When the chips are down, magic man Murray and iron Evans refuse to lose.

“We’re getting really close to doing something pretty special.”

Battered and bruised, bent but by no means broken, Sir Andy Murray continues on valiantly. The legendary Scot has faced a slew of injuries in the latter stages of his glistening career, and for most, it would’ve been enough to call it quits. Not Murray. The Dunblane man knows adversity, it’s something he has battled through his whole tennis life. Against the maestro Federer, gladiatorial Nadal, and indestructible Djokovic, he found a way. A gold medalist in the singles events of ‘12 and ‘16, the double Olympic champion decided against going it alone this time around. Alongside Dan Evans, the final game of Murray’s career could be any day. This July evening, the task was simple. Beat Belgium, and his dance would carry on.

Things began well. Great Britain battled through early serving troubles in the opening game, and a quick flurry of tidy points saw Murray and Evans break the Belgians at first opportunity. A lovely lob shot from Andy evidenced the growing confidence, gaining the Brits a 3-0 lead. Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen finally got on the board with a much needed hold, giving themselves something to work with after such a sluggish start.

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However, the British pair continued to go up through the gears, as Evans lasered the set’s first ace down centre line. Surgical communication then allowed for Murray to volley across court, putting the duo in a truly commanding position at 4-1 up. Even against a lowly first service percentage of fifty, the Belgians looked to have no real answers for Murray and Evans’ current supremacy. Service was held this time around, but they needed more than that.

The return game of Belgium didn’t meet the grade. Murray made difficult shots look easy, as the Scotsman rolled back the years to execute a perfect drop, before finishing with a booming ace to usher in the end of another game. 5-2. The next saw a formulation of rallies, something that the match had been bereft of up until that point. A phenomenal return from Gille brought the fire out of Evans, the Englishman crashing his racket into the clay. A rare double fault then raised passing questions, but Britain’s entwined swagger and aggression were still wholly evident. The two ensuing Belgian shots went long, securing the first set for Evans and Murray. 6-3.

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Gille and Vliegen’s reactions to going behind were low-key, an icy exterior maintained. Unlike the first set, service was held. Yet Evans’ reply from the baseline was simply faultless, tying the score at 1-1. Strong holds followed, with Belgium starting to gain traction. However, cheap returns on second serves were continuing to cost them, unable to breach the defence of Murray and Evans. New balls entered the fray at 3-3, but that seemed to be the only thing willing to change. Another hold for Belgium saw little more than a fleeting moment from Evans, as a sensational return down the line mattered little.

Great serving from Murray brought another ace, followed by a wayward return from Gille. Winning sixteen of their last twenty second serve points, Great Britain looked poised in a face of any adversity. A reckless return from Vliegen put Belgium on the backfoot in their fifth service game, but Murray ended the following rally by finding the net. The next was vintage Andy, as the former world number one shifted his feet brilliantly to sweep a cross court shot. Locked at deuce, Evans floated another lob down doubles alley to gain advantage. Still, the resistance held true, and Vliegen carved out quality back-to-back shots that salvaged the game.

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Punctuated by short points, the second set continued to go with serve. Instinctive at the net, Evans cleaned up all that came his way. It was a feature of Dan’s play on the day, fleet of foot in his luminous yellow trainers. The score ticked over. 6-6. A tie-break would give us our answer. Luck appeared to be on Britain’s side, a deflected return scuffed off the net and landed agonisingly long for Vliegen and Gille. A double fault by Evans breathed hope into the Belgian cause, but barely a moment later Murray had spotted Vliegen’s early moment and fired a winner down the line. Nevertheless, double faults continued to be the flavour of the moment, with the Scotsman next to fall victim. 3-3.

Under pressure, Gille fired back-and-forth with Evans, stripping a perfect forehand through the centre of Britain’s reserves. Points were then traded before Murray and Evans cranked the gas up a notch. Striking net play gained them a 6-5 advantage, piling the pressure on Belgium. Handle it the did, Murray unable to get a strong hand on Gille’s return. All square once again. In an undulating affair, Evans then mishit a relatively simple return wide-right to give Belgium their first set point. The favour was returned by Vliegen, wide-left. Tension steadily increased.

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As did the tempo, with a brilliant Murray serve rocketing past Vliegen. Another match point. Gille’s deadly return saw Evans scrambling, and his dive into the Paris clay wasn’t to be enough. Frustration then followed, with Murray and Evans simultaneously claiming what appeared to be a fairly noticeable let call, yet the chair umpire remained unmoved. Double fault Evans. Set Belgium, 7(10)-(8)6. Just like two days previous against Japan, the Brits headed into a match-breaker.

Evans served first, and Murray met Vliegen’s return with ease. Points traded. 3-2 Great Britain. A Murray riposte was clean, but he couldn’t quite bring it down. Evans’ following attempt wasn’t anywhere close. Belgium held both service points to take the lead. A sensational cross court return from Vliegen shifted the tide in his nation’s favour, before undoing all good work by hitting his next into the net. The match-break was, in effect, a microcosm of the game. Certainly not one of the game’s most aesthetically pleasing, but engrossing nonetheless. Whenever Britain looked to have the ascendancy, Belgium continued to hang around.

Hang around they really did. Simplifying the equation with an unreturnable delivery, Vliegen then stayed calm to batter a forehand betwixt the Brits. An 8-6 lead was taken. Evans next return was far better, but the following serve was poor and gave Belgium their first match point. It was one they’d waste. The second? Wasted too. Tie game.

Evans sensed a moment, his blistering return darting straight into the closed racket of Gille. Looping, the ball landed beyond Britain’s baseline. A third match point for Team GB. Murray served. Vliegen stretched with all he had, but the bowed wrist resulted in a meek counter. It was an invite too good to turn down, and Evans wasn’t shy in obliging. His thunderous smash lit up the famous red clay and Roland-Garros erupted.

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11-9 Great Britain. Game. Set. Match.

Andy Murray’s swan song isn’t over yet. Not by a long shot.