Murray comes back from the brink

Wimbledon : Andy Murray completed an astonishing turnaround after staring defeat in the face to beat Frenchman Richard Gasquet…

Wimbledon: Andy Murray completed an astonishing turnaround after staring defeat in the face to beat Frenchman Richard Gasquet 5-7 3-6 7-6 6-2 6-4 today and claim a Wimbledon quarter-final spot.

The Scot was two sets behind and a break down at 5-4 in the third before his survival instincts kicked in. He delighted the home crowd on Centre Court by breaking straight back to level at 5-5 before forcing a tiebreak which he took with ease.
   
The 12th seed repeatedly punched the air and brought the crowd to their feet as he raced through the fourth set, where eighth seed Gasquet's previously sizzling backhand winners fizzled out, to set up an exciting fifth.
   
The 21-year-old Briton got an early break under his belt and Gasquet faded along with the light, allowing Murray to secure victory when the Frenchman put his return into the net. The win after nearly four hours allowed him to reach his first grand slam quarter-final, where he will face second seed Rafael Nadal.

  • Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date

  • Sign up for push alerts to get the best breaking news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone

  • Listen to In The News podcast daily for a deep dive on the stories that matter