Maybe they’ll have to rename it the Feliciano Lopez Invitational. What an effort from the Spaniard to win the singles and doubles titles here. But the story, of course, is Andy Murray. He’s back! After everything, he’s back! And who knows what happens next? Obviously he’s winning Wimbledon next month. And then? Don’t rule anything out. It’s Andy Murray. Anyway that’s all from me. Thanks for reading. Bye!
Feliciano Lopez, who’s played the last five matches on Centre Court, tells Murray it’s great to see him back on the court. “It’s been brilliant,” Murray says. “I’ve really enjoyed it. I felt very relaxed at the beginning of the week and then I felt more nervous. My competitive instincts were kicking in. My hip felt great. No pain. I’ll just try to keep playing. I said I would chat to my team about mixed doubles in the next few days and decide by the middle of next week.”
Andy Murray speaks! “Feliciano was brilliant. An amazing win in the singles and even at the end of the mach there he came up with some amazing serves and brilliant returns.”
Andy Murray, metal hip still intact, and Feliciano Lopez, who won the singles title earlier, go up to collect the trophy. Lopez has done the singles-doubles double!
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Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury, a new pairing this year, get a big ovation as they collect their runners-up dishes. They contributed massively to an absorbing final.
Would you put it past Andy Murray to request a last-minute singles wild card at Wimbledon? No, you wouldn’t.
Andy Murray, though. Feliciano Lopez, though.
Andy Murray and Feliciano Lopez beat Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury 7-6, 5-7, 10-5 to win the Queen's doubles!
Match tie-break: Murray*/Lopez 10-5 Ram/Salisbury (*denotes server): Murray misses another first serve. The tension grows. But his second serve’s strong and Salisbury sends a forehand return wide! Murray leaps, punches the air and hugs the incredible Feliciano Lopez! What a comeback from the former world No1!
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Match tie-break: Murray*/Lopez 9-5 Ram/Salisbury (*denotes server): Murray nets his first serve. A volley war ensues. But Ram eventually picks Murray off at the net. It’s not over yet.
Match tie-break: Murray/Lopez 9-4 Ram*/Salisbury (*denotes server): Lopez swipes a vicious forehand return down the line. Ram and Salisbury don’t bother challenging. It’s championship point!
Match tie-break: Murray/Lopez 8-4 Ram*/Salisbury (*denotes server): Murray returns well and Lopez pounces on a high ball with a powerful volley. “Yeeaahhhhh!” Murray cries.
Match tie-break: Murray/Lopez* 7-4 Ram/Salisbury (*denotes server): Lopez serve-volleys brilliantly. Then he jumps into a celebration with Murray. How is he still going?
Match tie-break: Murray/Lopez* 6-4 Ram/Salisbury (*denotes server): Lopez bangs an ace down the middle.
Match tie-break: Murray/Lopez 5-4 Ram/Salisbury* (*denotes server): Lopez pummels a forehand return down the line.
Match tie-break: Murray/Lopez 4-4 Ram/Salisbury* (*denotes server): Salisbury outwits a scampering Murray at the net.
Match tie-break: Murray*/Lopez 4-3 Ram/Salisbury (*denotes server): Salisbury can’t do anything with a solid Murray first serve.
Match tie-break: Murray*/Lopez 3-3 Ram/Salisbury (*denotes server): Murray bends a serve down the middle. It’s too good for Ram.
Match tie-break: Murray/Lopez 2-3 Ram*/Salisbury (*denotes server): Lopez misses a backhand return.
Match tie-break: Murray/Lopez 2-2 Ram*/Salisbury (*denotes server): Murray balloons a forehand return.
Match tie-break: Murray/Lopez* 2-1 Ram/Salisbury (*denotes server): Lopez swings an ace down the middle.
Match tie-break: Murray/Lopez* 1-1 Ram/Salisbury (*denotes server): Murray outsmarts Salisbury at the net.
Match tie-break: Murray/Lopez 0-1 Ram/Salisbury* (*denotes server): Lopez nets a backhand return.
Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury win the second set 7-5 to force a match tie-break!
Murray messes up a volley on the first point. 0-15. Then he’s caught out by a Ram return down by his feet. 0-30. Soon it’s 15-40 to Ram and Salisbury. Salisbury has a chance to win the set, but he nets a forehand. On the next one, however, Ram draws a wayward volley from Lopez. We’ll have a match tie-break! It will be first to 10.
Second set: Murray/Lopez 7-6, 5-6 Ram*/Salisbury (*denotes server): Ram holds to 15. Murray will serve to force a tie-break.
Second set: Murray/Lopez* 7-6, 5-5 Ram/Salisbury (*denotes server): At 30-0 Murray takes a tumble on the side of the court. Panic! Only for a moment, though. He’s up quickly, though, and helps Lopez hold to 15 easily.
Second set: Murray/Lopez 7-6, 4-5 Ram/Salisbury* (*denotes server): Two snappy volleys from Ram make it 30-0. Salisbury holds to love with an ace. Lopez will serve to keep the set alive.
Second set: Murray*/Lopez 7-6, 4-4 Ram/Salisbury (*denotes server): Murray thinks he’s in control at 40-15. But Ram makes it 40-30 and then Murray misses a volley. Not by much, but by enough, and it’s a deciding point. Yet Murray manages a good enough serve to force Ram to knock a return wide.
Second set: Murray/Lopez 7-6, 3-4 Ram*/Salisbury (*denotes server): Ram nets a forehand at the end of an entertaining point. 0-15. Then Salisbury smashes for 15-all. But Ram’s feeling anxious. At 15-30 Murray pounces on a Ram serve, pounding a forehand down the line. Ram makes it 30-40 with a deft volley. Then Murray sends a backhand lob long. Now it’s a deciding point - and Ram and Salisbury get out of jail when the latter summons a violent smash to end the argument.
Second set: Murray/Lopez* 7-6, 3-3 Ram/Salisbury (*denotes server): Murray comes up with a sharp volley for 15-0. Then Ram clips the line with a beauty of a backhand return. Murray, always useless at HawkEye, challenges incorrectly. The game goes to 30-all. Lopez sends a serve down the middle with interest. Salisbury, channelling Murray, challenges incorrectly. It goes to 40-30 and Lopez holds.
Second set: Murray/Lopez 7-6, 2-3 Ram/Salisbury* (*denotes server): It’s Salisbury’s turn to hold to 15. He’s serving well. And he bounces up and down a lot.
Second set: Murray*/Lopez 7-6, 2-2 Ram/Salisbury (*denotes server): Murray holds to 15.
Second set: Murray/Lopez 7-6, 1-2 Ram*/Salisbury (*denotes server): Ram looks comfortable at 40-0. He’s made to sweat a little when Murray and Lopez get it to 40-30, though. Then a low Murray return forces Ram to volley wide. Deuce means it’s a deciding point. Yet Murray misses a forehand return. He’s annoyed.
Second set: Murray/Lopez* 7-6, 1-1 Ram/Salisbury (*denotes server): Lopez wallops an ace down the middle to hold to 30.
Second set: Murray/Lopez 7-6, 0-1 Ram/Salisbury* (*denotes server): Ram and Salisbury will need to clear their heads quickly. They served for the opening set and also led 5-1 in the tie-break. Encouragingly, they begin with a hold to 15 for Salisbury.
Andy Murray and Feliciano Lopez win the first set 7-6!
First set tie-break: Murray/Lopez 8-6 Ram*/Salisbury (*denotes server): Ram serves. He’s drawn to the net. Lopez has a few attempts at passing him - and eventually Ram dabs a volley wide!
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First set tie-break: Murray*/Lopez 7-6 Ram/Salisbury (*denotes server): Salisbury blocks a return long. Murray and Lopez have a set point.
First set tie-break: Murray*/Lopez 6-6 Ram/Salisbury (*denotes server): Ram nets a forehand off a tight second serve from Murray.
First set tie-break: Murray/Lopez 5-6 Ram/Salisbury* (*denotes server): Lopez sends a backhand return just wide. Set point for Ram and Salisbury.
First set tie-break: Murray/Lopez 5-5 Ram/Salisbury* (*denotes server): A fizzing Murray backhand return leaves Salisbury on his knees. That looked nasty for a moment, but it seems Salisbury’s fine to continue.
First set tie-break: Murray/Lopez* 4-5 Ram/Salisbury (*denotes server): Salisbury sends a forehand long by a whisker.
First set tie-break: Murray/Lopez* 3-5 Ram/Salisbury (*denotes server): Ram lofts a return wide.
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First set tie-break: Murray/Lopez 2-5 Ram*/Salisbury (*denotes server): Murray gets one back.
First set tie-break: Murray/Lopez 1-5 Ram*/Salisbury (*denotes server): Salisbury produces another excellent volley.
First set tie-break: Murray*/Lopez 1-4 Ram/Salisbury (*denotes server): Salisbury gives another Murray serve the treatment, a forehand down the line too good for Lopez.
First set tie-break: Murray*/Lopez 1-3 Ram/Salisbury (*denotes server): A smart Ram return draws an errant volley from a stooping Murray.
First set tie-break: Murray/Lopez 1-2 Ram/Salisbury* (*denotes server): Ram makes up for it with a clever volley.
First set tie-break: Murray/Lopez 1-1 Ram/Salisbury* (*denotes server): Ram volleys wide off a fierce Murray return.
First set tie-break: Murray/Lopez* 0-1 Ram/Salisbury (*denotes server): Lopez butchers a smash! Put it down to fatigue.
First set: Murray/Lopez 6-6 Ram*/Salisbury (*denotes server): Ram holds to love to force a tie-break.
First set: Murray*/Lopez 6-5 Ram/Salisbury (*denotes server): After all that excitement Murray messes up the first point with one of his worst every volleys. 0-15. Yet Murray finds his serve again. He holds to 30, swinging one down the middle and out of Ram’s reach.
First set: Murray/Lopez 5-5 Ram/Salisbury* (*denotes server): Salisbury is serving for the set. It goes to 30-all and Lopez makes it 30-40 with a cracking forehand down the line. It’s effectively two break points. But Ram is strong enough at the net to deal with a Murray backhand, Lopez unable to deal with it. A deciding point, then. But it’s still a break point - and that’s the cue for Murray’s return to click into gear, a low forehand forcing Salisbury to volley long. “Let’s go!” Murray roars.
First set: Murray/Lopez* 4-5 Ram/Salisbury (*denotes server): Lopez is serving to keep the opening set alive. And he holds to 15. Sir Joe Salisbury will serve for it.
First set: Murray/Lopez 3-5 Ram*/Salisbury (*denotes server): You sense a Ram service game offers an instant opportunity for Murray and Lopez to break back, a feeling that grows when the American finds himself down 0-30 again. But he responds with three straight points and holds thanks to a sharp volley from Salisbury.
First set: Murray*/Lopez 3-4 Ram/Salisbury (*denotes server): Some wonderful doubles shenanigans at 0-15. Lopez has to scramble back to the baseline to reach a volley and he shows a surprising turn of pace to get there before hooking a deep forehand back into play, at which point Salisbury nets a smash. Murray’s serve is coming under pressure, though, and he finds himself facing two break points when Salisbury pounces on a poor volley from the Scot. The rangy Salisbury’s looking the sharpest player out there. And it’s fitting that he’s the one to seal the break with a lovely forehand down the line. “Come on!” he cries.
First set: Murray/Lopez 3-3 Ram/Salisbury* (*denotes server): Lopez is stretching a fair bit during the changeover. He must be aching after his exertions. Meanwhile Murray’s a little bit annoyed with his return at the moment. It’s not quite there yet and it allows Salisbury to 40-15. Salisbury holds to 40-30 when a hopeful Murray lob drops long.
First set: Murray/Lopez* 3-2 Ram/Salisbury (*denotes server): Lopez drops the first point on serve, but he rattles through the next three. Then he seals another hold with a crisp forehand volley. It’s been a good, tight start to the final.
First set: Murray/Lopez 2-2 Ram*/Salisbury (*denotes server): Salisbury’s under fire at the net on the first point. Eventually he finds a Murray backhand too hot to handle. These are worrying times for Ram and Salisbury. A double-fault from Ram makes it 0-30. The American’s not finding his first serve. But his second clicks just well enough to force 30-all. Then he clicks into gear, sending an ace down the middle for 40-30. The American holds.
First set: Murray*/Lopez 2-1 Ram/Salisbury (*denotes server): Murray wins the first point easily enough. Then Lopez stands firm at the net to repel a Ram forehand with an accurate volley for 30-0. At 40-0 Ram drills a backhand return down the line. Lovely shot. That one’s not coming back. Then Ram and Salisbury combine well to make it 40-30, the former’s forehand volley doing the job. Yet Murray holds to 30 when he whacks a backhand from left to right at the net.
First set: Murray/Lopez 1-1 Ram/Salisbury* (*denotes server): Joe Salisbury to serve. It would be understandable if he’s feeling a bit nervous about sharing a court with a rather famous opponent. But the local lad has to ignore the Murray factor. The first two points are shared. It goes to 30-all. Then Salisbury bangs an ace down the middle for 40-30. But Murray responds with a fizzing backhand return down the line for deuce. In doubles it’s a deciding point. And although the returners choose Salisbury has to deliver to Murray again, this time the serve’s good enough to outfox the Scot.
First set: Murray/Lopez* 1-0 Ram/Salisbury (*denotes server): It’s the singles champion, Feliciano Lopez, to open the doubles final – and he makes a good start, racing through a few serves to set up a 40-0 lead. He doesn’t look tired at all! Give it half an hour or so, though, then we’ll see. Still, a hold to love.
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Tok! Tok! Tok! They’re knocking up.
Here come the players! This is what the crowd have been waiting for. The chance to see Joe Salisbury Andy Murray!
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The doubles final is going to begin at 5.30pm. Enough time for Feliciano Lopez to get a quick massage.
Lopez adds he doesn’t have much energy left. “I’m going to speak to Andy now. He’s going to be responsible now.”
Feliciano Lopez, probably the first tournament director to win a tournament, speaks! “The whole match was very exciting, except the first set, where he didn’t play very good. I took this set but then he got better and better and it was really tough for me. The tie-break at the end was a lottery and it went my way.”
Feliciano Lopez beams as he collects his trophy. It’s a wonder if he can lift the trinket above his head.
Feliciano Lopez has won the singles final! He’s beaten Gilles Simon 6-2, 6-7, 7-6, but he has no time to put his feet up. Now he’s got to play the doubles final with Sir Andy Murray. They take on Joe Salisbury and Rajeev Ram soon.
Ashleigh Barty is the new world No1! The French Open champion beat Julia Goerges to claim the title in Birmingham earlier.
The singles final is going to three sets. Gilles Simon has knuckled down and won the second on a tie-break. Andy Murray will have to wait.
“Afternoon Jacob,” Simon McMahon says. “I’ve missed Andy. Tennis has missed Andy. To win a doubles title in his first tournament back just six months after career saving surgery would be quite something. To see him compete in Grand Slam singles in 2020 would be quite something else. And who’s to say he won’t win another one? Not me, that’s for sure. COME ON ANDY!!!”
Tennis has missed Andy. It hasn’t been as fun without him. It hasn’t been Andy enough.
Pre-match reading
Feliciano Lopez has won the first set of the singles final 6-2. The man’s a machine! Speaking of splendid 37-year-olds, by the way, elsewhere Roger Federer’s won a record 10th Halle title after beating David Goffin in the final.
Preamble
Poor Joe Salisbury. Putney’s finest reaches the doubles final at Queen’s and who does he find waiting for him on the other side of the net? Andy Murray, that’s who. Only the greatest British player of all time. How’s your luck, Joe?
What a story, though. Murray being Murray, of course, perhaps we should have expected this from him as he embarks on what almost counts as a second career after all the pain he’s gone through. Six months ago, though, we were all writing the obituaries. Everyone remembers that emotional press conference before the Australian Open, when it seemed he was on the verge of retirement, and assumed he’d played his final ever match when he lost to Roberto Bautista Agut in the first round in Melbourne. Only, it turned out Murray wasn’t ready to say goodbye. He went under the knife again, switched the faulty hip for a metal one and set about preparing for a dramatic return. And here we are. With a man who was using his racquet as a crutch not so long ago in the doubles final in his first tournament back since hip surgery. It really is ridiculous.
But that’s Murray for you, always ready to surprise, never willing to give in without a fight. Having said that, mind you, what’s stood out about this comeback is how happy he’s looked on court so far. The limp and grimace have both gone and Murray just looks like he’s delighted to be playing tennis again. He isn’t fighting; he’s just enjoying himself and it’s delightful to watch.
Not that the fiery competitive spirit has disappeared, of course. No chance of that happening. Instead Murray’s making big plans. He’s off to Eastbourne with Brazil’s Marcelo Melo, then he’s off to Wimbledon to play with the excellent Pierre Hugues-Herbert and he also wants a mixed doubles partner at SW19 (Serena? Venus? Judy?).
The ultimate aim is to get back into singles. But before all that he needs to win this match. It might not be straightforward, though, given that his partner, the 37-year-old Feliciano Lopez, appears to be involved in a charity tennisathon. Yesterday Lopez reached the singles final after seeing off Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime in three sets. Then he had a short break. Then he helped Murray polish off their rain-delayed quarter-final against Dan Evans and Ken Skupski. Then he helped Murray win their semi-final against Henri Kontinen and John Peers. It was almost 9pm by the time he was done. He must be knackered.
What’s more, the Spaniard has to get his singles final against Gilles Simon done before this match begins. Absurd. Who knows what state he’ll be in by the end of the day? One thing’s for sure: he’s bound to be stiff and that could play work against him. Salisbury, a 27-year-old Londoner who reached the Wimbledon semis last year, and the USA’s Rajeev Ram knocked out doubles legends the Bryans brothers yesterday. They aren’t to be taken lightly.
Play begins ... soon.
