Andy Murray goes into warrior mode to end his career with Olympic gold.
He and his British team-mate Dan Evans once again stared adversity in the face and managed to come away with an logic-defying victory.
After respectfully consoling their opponents, the pair released a wave of energy on Court Suzanne Lenglen, embracing across the net before Murray slumped back in his seat, seeming overwhelmed by the occasion.
Tuesday’s celebrations were justified. After saving five match points in their first-round win on Sunday, they saved two more to beat Belgians Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen and reach the quarter-finals of the men’s doubles tournament.
Before the game started in Paris, Murray had announced that the Games would be his last tournament.
Seven times already, the 37-year-old has been within a point of definitive defeat. But each time, he and Evans have found a way to win – a hallmark of Murray’s long and distinguished career.
Tennis is a sport dominated by Grand Slam tournaments. Players are often judged by the number of major titles they have won, not the number of gold medals around their necks.
But for Murray, the Olympics have always held a special place in his heart.
In 2012, just weeks after a devastating Wimbledon final defeat, Murray won men’s singles gold at the London Games. He also won a silver medal in the mixed doubles alongside teammate Laura Robson.
A love affair with the Olympic Games
Those victories at the London Games sparked a wave of success for Murray, who established himself as one of the best tennis players of the sport’s golden era.
He won his first Grand Slam tournament later in 2012 at the US Open, before becoming the first Briton in 77 years to win a Wimbledon title in 2013.
He became world number one in 2016, a year in which he also won Wimbledon for the second time. That year he also defended his Olympic title at the Rio Games, where he was named Team GB’s flag bearer.
Although rivals like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have won more Grand Slams, Murray has more Olympic success than any of them.
Despite everything that followed, he still looks back on those glory days in 2012 as a milestone moment: a before-and-after tournament that set him on the path to stardom.
“Some of the best weeks of my life, or my tennis career, are certainly in London playing an Olympic Games on home soil,” he told Eurosport ahead of the start of hostilities in Paris.
“I will never have this opportunity again.”
Given his affinity with the Games, it’s perhaps unsurprising that Murray held out to finish his career at the Olympics.
In truth, he could have walked away from the sport on multiple occasions in recent years after injuries robbed him of his competitiveness at the top level.
In Paris, he now walks onto court with somewhat of a limp, his gait is a little shorter than before. His serve has lost some of its venom and he felt unable to compete in both the doubles and singles draws.
But while his physicality has somewhat diminished, his passion and will to win haven’t suffered one bit.
In a video posted by the ATP Tour last month, Murray’s rivals were asked to describe the Scot in three words.
“Grit,” “determination” and “fighter” were some of the answers that kept being repeated, all attributes he has shown at this year’s Games.
Murray’s quality has now been limited to flashes of brilliance and he has leaned on teammate Evans to drag him through some difficult moments in the first two matches in Paris.
The duo have known each other for years, but their experience playing together is limited and they were beaten in the first round of this year’s French Open.
And yet, against all the odds, they have won two matches this week and are now just three wins away from an unlikely gold medal.
“It’s obviously unbelievably emotional,” Murray said after reaching the quarterfinals.
“I mean, you’re obviously unbelievably happy and then, for whatever reason, I don’t know why it happens, you get happy tears. I don’t know why that’s the case.
“But yeah, it was really emotional at the end of the match. Extremely happy and excited to have managed to get through another incredible finish. It takes a lot out of you to do that kind of thing.”
Murray and Evans face Americans Tommy Paul and Taylor Fritz on Thursday for a place in the semi-finals, as Murray’s love of the Olympics continues.
And, if this week’s action highlights one thing, it’s that anything can happen once Murray steps on a tennis court.
