The frenzied Pimms-laced cries of “Come on Andy”. The masses on Murray Mound with hearts in their mouths – and on their sleeves. The boisterous late night atmosphere. And, after an early wobble, Andy Murray waving to the crowd and pumping his fists in triumph.
It has been nearly two years since Britain’s greatest ever tennis player last graced Wimbledon, hobbling out with a hip injury. And just 175 days since he tearily announced the problem had become so severe he was about to retire. Yet here he was – after all the sporting obituaries and video farewells from his fellow players – rattling through all the familiar tunes, only in an different key.
The Scot was playing doubles not singles, of course. But the way Murray and his partner, the Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert, recovered from a set down to dismantle Marius Copil and Ugo Humbert 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-0 suggested that the Scot could yet add to his three grand slams by the end of this fortnight.
Murray normally never smiles in matches – even when he is playing Davis Cup doubles with his brother Jamie – but here he couldn’t stop, especially once he and Herbert had taken control.
Even when his partner nearly hit him with a serve in the fifth set Murray laughed. The Frenchmen then apologised by thundering down an ace. “Brilliant!”‚ cried Murray.
“I was a little bit nervous at the start but as the match but that is a good thing,” said Murray afterwards. “I liked feeling like that because it shows you care. But as we went on we started to get more comfortable with reading each other’s games.
“We set each other with our returns and I am very happy. That match will do us a lot of good.”
With Rafa Nadal and Nick Kyrgios slugging it out in a minor epic on Centre Court, those wanting to watch the first two sets of Murray’s latest odyssey had to click on the red button.
It meant they missed an understandably tentative start given that the pair had never played a competitive set together.
Initially wires crossed and signals were misinterpreted. And the pair were broken twice in their opening three service games and lost the first set 4-6.
But Murray had chosen his partner well. Herbert is a top-40 singles player, with the doubles nous to have won four grand slams. And after another wobble at the start of the second set, when they had to save break points, they took control.
It took a while for them to work through the gears. But it was clear they were gaining confidence and trust in each other with every point. When Murray and Herbert broke at the start of the fourth set they were high-fiving each other in delight, and by the end they were clapping each other.
Certainly Herbert liked what he saw. “It was not that easy,” he said. “It is the first time we were playing together but we didn’t panic off the loss of the first set so we are really happy now. And as the match went on we were more of a team.”
Watching Murray moving on court it was hard to believe that this was the same player who had that announced his imminent retirement at an Australian Open press conference sodden due to what he admitted was a “severely damaged right hip”.
Even after the operation, which involved removing the damaged bone and cartilage within his right hip socket and replacing it with a metal shell, few expected him to be back at Wimbledon so soon. Yet here he was hitting return winners aplenty, while Murray’s hands at the net were as smooth as milk.
“I was just playing and enjoying being on the court. It was brilliant being back – there was a really nice atmosphere at the end.
“Given the lack of pain, I enjoyed this more than 2017. Every time I am on the court now it is great because I am pain free and healthy. It is what I have enjoyed doing since I was a kid. The fun is back – and I hope it will be for a while.”
Murray is used to making history. This was another footnote to his storied career: being involved in the first competitive match played on Court No 1 under lights.
To think Murray had returned to competitive action in the doubles at Queen’s last month, less than six months after the operation which has left him “pain-free” to win the title with Spain’s Feliciano López, Murray went on to win the Queen’s title and described the feat as “mental”.
It might get even more so by the end of the tournament. Murray will be playing with 23-time grand slam champion Serena Williams in the mixed doubles – and on this evidence they will be the team to beat.
When Murray underwent surgery in late January it was seen as the final lob of the dice to save his career. It is still early days. But he may have just rolled a pair of sixes.
