Andy Murray delays retirement again as Brit reaches Olympics quarter-final with Dan Evans

Andy Murray extended his career again by reaching the Olympics doubles quarter-final with Dan Evans.

Andy Murray is refusing to go away despite announcing that the Olympics will be the final tournament of his career. The former world No. 1’s retirement will have to wait, as he is through to the quarter-final of the men’s doubles event with Dan Evans.

After they produced a heroic comeback in the first round – saving five consecutive match points – the British duo were back at it against Belgium’s Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen.

It was a much faster start than their last match as they broke immediately but it turned into a dramatic battle as Murray and Evans blew two match points in the second set tiebreak before saving two in the match tiebreak. But they ultimately went on to win 6-3 6-7(8) 11-9.

Evans stepped up to serve first and the British duo were in a tricky spot as they were forced to save two break points. But they responded perfectly, holding on before taking a 0-40 lead on Vliegen’s serve. Evans broke at the second time of asking with a lob winner his partner would be proud of and roared.

But Murray had to prove that he was the king of lobs, making a winner of his own to extend their lead to 3-0. The stands in Court Suzanne Lenglen were half empty, just like Sunday night, as the spectators took a break after witnessing Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz win their own doubles match.

But there were plenty of Union Jacks in the crowd – after Murray and Evans’ heroics in the last round, the fans had reason to believe. Cheers from Court 7 drowned out the noise in Lenglen as French duo Caroline Garcia and Dianne Parry competed their own Murray-style comeback in their first set of their women’s doubles match, going from 2-5 to 7-5.

The British fans still made themselves heard and spurred on their men as Evans found himself in a tricky spot serving for the set. He received a time violation at 30-30 and threw his racket in frustration when a return winner gave the Belgians a break point. Murray screamed “let’s go” as they saved it and they finally took the set 6-3 after 43 minutes.

The second set was a lot closer but there was a sense that things could be shifting as Gille served at 3-3. From 40-0 up, the Belgians suddenly found themselves at 40-30 as Evans ripped a forehand winner straight past the pair. Gille kept them ahead but there was something in the air. As songs of “allez les blues” carried over from Court 7 again, Murray and Evans gave the Lenglen crowd a reason to shut them out as they earned the first break point of the set.

The noise was quickly replaced with chants of “let’s go, GB”. But Vliegen came up clutch and held them off. The Brits had to serve to stay in the set again. This time, Murray was tasked with the job. He fired down an ace before they forced a tiebreak.