By Erik Gudris | Friday, July 7, 2017
Defending champion and top seed Andy Murray fought back against Italy's Fabio Fognini to avoid a possible fifth set in fading light on Centre Court.
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Instead, Murray finds himself back in the Wimbledon fourth round after a dramatic four set win Friday evening.
In a third round encounter that saw both men play at their best and worst at times, Murray was ultimately helped out by a terrible mistake by Fognini late in the match.
"The end of the match was tense,” Murray said right after to the BBC. “It was a very up and down match, I didn’t feel it was the best tennis at times, it was a bit tense, but I managed to get through. When you’re playing a guy who has all of the shots like him it’s difficult. It was also getting dark towards the end. We’d have probably had to come off and close the roof if it had gone to a fifth. I didn’t feel like I moved as well today as I did in the first two matches but I’ve got a couple of days off now to work on that.”
The 28th seeded Fognini, who served for the fourth set once while up 5-2, had another opportunity later at 5-4.
At 40-30 on his fifth set point, Fognini forgot to remember that he had no more challenges remaining. As a Murray shot landed close on the baseline, Fognini stopped play. With the shot called in, Fognini challenged, only to be reminded by the umpire that he had none left.
A dumbfounded Fognini went on to lose the game and allowed Murray back in the set at 5-all.
This was the dramatic pivotal moment of the match that saw Murray earlier take the first set 6-2.
Fognini lifted his game in the second set while Murray’s form faded. Fognini later took the set 6-4, the first set dropped by Murray all event.
When Fognini seemed to tweak his ankle in the third set, the Italian wasn't the same allowing Murray to coast through 6-1.
But Murray couldn't put the match away. Fognini, who incurred a warning earlier in the match for unsportsmanlike behavior was later assessed a point penalty for language by the umpire. Murray won the game for 2-all. Yet that incident fired up Fognini who reeled off three straight games for 5-2.
Fognini unraveled though as Murray stormed back for 5-4 before the now pivotal phantom challenge that allowed the World No. 1 to level things at 5-all. With light fading in the late evening, Murray broke Fognini again to the delight of Centre Court.
With his 15th ace on match point, Murray served out the 6-2, 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 win.
Next for Murray is France’s Benoit Paire.