Wimbledon 2021: Murray returns with dramatic win against Basilashvili

Murray led 5-0 in the third set on Monday and was on the verge of closing out a straightforward victory. But after a stunning reversal that sent the match into a fourth set, the 34-year-old Murray battled to victory in three hours and 32 minutes. Murray will next face either German qualifier Oscar Otte or French qualifier Arthur Rinderknech.

Two-time former champion Andy Murray made a memorable return to singles action at Wimbledon, overcoming 24th seed Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia 6-4, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 to reach the second round here.

Murray led 5-0 in the third set on Monday and was on the verge of closing out a straightforward victory. But after a stunning reversal that sent the match into a fourth set, the 34-year-old Murray battled to victory in three hours and 32 minutes.

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Murray will next face either German qualifier Oscar Otte or French qualifier Arthur Rinderknech.

"I definitely should have finished it up a lot sooner than what I did," said Murray after the late evening match on Monday. "(But) I don't think there are that many players that would have won that fourth set."

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The Scot was making his first Wimbledon singles appearance since 2017, when he reached the quarter-finals before falling to Sam Querrey of the US in five sets. He missed the 2018 event as he was recovering from a hip surgery, and competed only in men's doubles and mixed doubles here in 2019.

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Playing in just his fourth tour-level event of the year, Murray fired 17 aces against Basilashvili as he improved his perfect record in Wimbledon first rounds to 13-0. He is now 3-3 on the season.

Murray, currently No. 118 on the ATP, countered Basilashvili's aggressive game by adding variety to his groundstrokes, breaking up his opponent's rhythm and never letting him get comfortable.

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"I think I played well up until probably 5-3 in the third set. That's never happened to me before in my career, being three breaks, a serve up and two sets to love up. Never had that happen before," Murray told atptour.com.

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"But (those are) the sorts of things that can happen when you haven't played any matches. Things can get away from you a little bit quick."

Earlier on Monday, Frances Tiafoe of the US shocked this year's French Open finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 to enter the second round.

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