Andy Murray overcomes injury scare, ends losing streak

World no. 50 Andy Murray made a winning start in Doha, beating Alexandre Muller 6-1, 7-6 in an hour and 57 minutes. Thus, the veteran claimed his first victory since October last year, ending a six-match losing streak despite an injury scare. Murray asked for the physio in the match’s early stages, feeling the pain in his left knee and revealing a large cyst in his troubled hip that went down toward his thigh and possibly the knee. However, the Briton continued without major issues, storming over his opponent in the opener and prevailing in the second set to notch his 49th hard-court ATP win. Murray played better behind the first and second serve, saving three out of four break points and delivering three breaks from five chances.

Andy Murray & Alexandre Muller, Doha 2024© Stream screenshot

Andy held at 30 in the encounter’s first game with a service winner and came from 40-0 down in the second game, taking five straight points and earning a break with a backhand down the line winner. Murray already felt the pain in his knee at this stage, holding at 15 in game three with a service winner and asking for a medical timeout. The veteran continued and landed a backhand crosscourt winner in the fourth game for two break chances. Muller denied them and held after deuces following a touchy winner, reducing the deficit and getting his name on the scoreboard. Murray closed the fifth game after deuce, moving 4-1 in front and extending the next game with a forced error.

Andy Murray made a winning start in Doha.

The Briton landed a forehand down the line winner on a break point, opening a 5-1 advantage and serving for the set. Andy faced a break point and denied it with a volley winner. Murray converted the second set point, closing the opening set in 46 minutes and hoping for more in the second. Muller cracked a backhand down the line winner in the fourth game, earning two break points. Andy denied them, the second with a booming backhand winner, landing a drop shot winner for a game point and locking the result at 2-2 with a powerful serve. Murray attacked on the return in the seventh game and fired a forehand winner on a break point, moving 4-3 up and closer to the finish line.

Andy Murray, Doha 2024© Stream screenshot

Andy squandered a 40-15 lead in the eighth game and placed a forehand beyond the baseline to lose serve and bring Alexandre back to 4-4. They served well in the remaining four games, introducing a tie break. There were no mini-breaks in the opening five points, with Muller landing a smash winner for a 3-2 lead. The Frenchman clinched an extended rally in the sixth point with a drop shot winner, moving 4-2 in front. Andy pulled the mini-break back in the ninth point with a drop shot winner and forced the rival’s mistake for 5-5. The Frenchman missed a backhand in the 11th point, offering his rival a match point. Andy punched a deep backhand return at 6-5, drawing Alexandre’s mistake and rattling off four points to emerge at the top.