By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, August 11, 2016
Down 0-3 in the decisive set, Andy Murray fought off Fabio Fognini, 6-1, 2-6, 6-3, to set up an Olympic quarterfinal versus Steve Johnson.
Photo credit: ITF Olympic Tennis
Andy Murray's feet were stuck in the Olympic rings and his fortitude was sagging on the ropes as Fabio Fognini seized a 3-0 lead in the final set.
Barking at his box, howling at the swirling wind and bemoaning the shadows that crept across half of the hard court, Murray looked frazzled fighting a battle on multiple fronts.
More: Nadal Stops Simon
An ornery Murray settled his nerve and hit his way right into the Rio quarterfinals.
Murray snapped off six straight games fighting off Fognini, 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 in a two hour, seven-minute match of wild momentum shifts.
The second-seeded Murray said survival skills carried him through.
"It's so incredibly difficult conditions today," Murray told Bravo Network's Trenni Kusnierek. "It was very windy and it got windier as the match went on. I was obviously up, the momentum totally changed and then I lost my rhythm a little bit. Then the opposite happened in third set."
The reigning gold medal champion is the only gold medalist from the 2012 London Games still alive though his Olympic flame was flickering mid-way through the final set.
"It's one of those days," Murray said. "You just try to get through the match if you can and play your best stuff."
The 40th-ranked Fognini had split four prior meetings with Murray, but the theatrical Italian looked disinterested in the opening set today.
Murray built a 6-1, 2-1 advantage only to see Fognini blaze through eight consecutive games and barely look stressed in the process.
Stepping into the baseline, Fognini took the ball earlier often pushing Murray well behind the baseline onto the Olympic rings etched onto the court. Murray served just 47 percent in the final set giving Fognini plenty of looks at his second serve.
As a tense 12-minute game escalated, Fognini slashed a forehand crosscourt breaking for a 2-0 lead in the decider. Fognini fended off a pair of brilliant forehands from Murray, holding for 3-0 on successive errors from the Scot.
An out of sorts Murray finally stopped the slide and got back on the board. The 2015 Australian Open doubles champion held a game point for 4-1 but could not convert.
Fognini, who had held serve since the second game of the second set, was flat footed putting a backhand into the net to face break point. A lunging Murray yelped stretching a backhand into the corner and Fognini netted another backhand as Murray broke back for 2-3.
Grinding through a long baseline exchange in the seventh game, Murray drained the Italian's legs and resistance. When Fognini netted a backhand, the Wimbledon champion snatched a second straight break and 4-3 lead.
A stressed-out Fognini filed some complaints with the chair umpire during the changeover, a clear sign his confidence and control of the set had slipped away.
Murray pinned down a quick hold at 15 for 5-3.
On match point, Fognini sprayed a diagonal forehand wide and Murray moved on to the quarterfinals after two hours, seven minutes of topsy turvy play.
Stretching his winning streak to 15 matches, the three-time Grand Slam champion will meet 12th-seeded Steve Johnson for a place in the semifinals. Johnson swept Evgeny Donskoy, 6-1, 6-1, in 64 minutes.
"He's obviously playing well," Murray said. "He's in semis of the doubles, won all of his matches comfortably in singles. It will be a tough match and hopefully easier conditions for both of us to play tomorrow."