Andy Murray Centre Court classic curtailed by curfew at Wimbledon

Andy Murray is one set away from a place in the third round of Wimbledon after a late-night classic against Stefanos Tsitsipas was halted by the tournament’s 11pm curfew.

On the eve of the anniversary of his first title at the All England Club, Murray rolled back the years with a performance showcasing all his famous grit, skill and grass-court nous to lead 6-7 (3) 7-6 (2) 6-4.

There were boos when it was announced the match would be halted with 20 minutes still to go until the cut-off point but Murray was probably not too disappointed after a hugely concerning moment at set point when the Scot screamed in pain and fell to the ground clutching his left groin.

Mercifully he quickly got to his feet and clinched the set with a serve that drew a Tsitsipas error, and the hope must be he has not done anything that could jeopardise his chances.

Liam Broady’s five-set win over Casper Ruud earlier on Centre Court meant this match did not begin until after 7.30pm, with Murray looking to emulate his less-heralded compatriot by taking out a top-five seed.

For the first time since his second Wimbledon title in 2016, the Scot had arrived at the All England Club feeling fit and healthy, and he declared after dropping just four games to Ryan Peniston in round two that he was playing well enough to beat most of his rivals in the draw.

Murray may no longer be right at the top of the game but he knows his way around a grass court better than most, and there are few of the younger generation who relish competing on the surface.

Centre Court rises for @andy_murray who leads two sets to one.To be continued tomorrow...#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/Zn5nkdXF3f

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 6, 2023

Tsitsipas is certainly much more comfortable on