It’s Andy Murray’s first defeat Queen’s since he lost in the third round to Radek Stepanek in 2014 - funnily enough that one also finished 7-6, 6-2. Murray was the defending Wimbledon champion that year as well. He went on to lose badly to Grigor Dimitrov in the last eight. He’ll hope this setback to Jordan Thompson, the world No90, isn’t an omen before he heads to the All England Club. He was pretty awful today, although it should be pointed out that the first match back on grass can be tricky for the top players. Murray wouldn’t have been expecting that performance, though, and what must also be acknowledged is that Thompson played extremely well and his win’s blown this tournament wide open. Murray, Wawrinka and Raonic are all out. It’s up for grabs! Thanks for reading. Bye.
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Jordan Thompson beats Andy Murray 7-6, 6-2!
The applause from the locals is respectful as Thompson, playing rather brilliantly, drills a forehand down the line for 15-0 and whacks an ace past Murray to lead 30-0. But he won’t win this match without dealing with a few nerves: two poor forehands allow Murray to fight back to 30-all. He settles down with a big serve that Murray can only block into the net, bringing up a match point. It’s all he needs. He swings another ace down the middle and Andy Murray, the defending champion, is out!
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Second set: Murray* 6-7, 2-5 Thompson (*denotes server): Murray wafts another forehand long for 0-15. He’s made so many errors with that shot. At 15-all, Murray approaches the net. Thompson ties him up with a low backhand pass for 15-30. Then comes a fantastic rally. Thompson looks out of it, only for a backhand lob to send Murray on the run. Murray’s quick enough to reach it and seemingly take charge of the rally - only to send a forehand wide, handing the Australian two more break points. He challenges to no avail. Then he saves the first with a powerful serve. A bouncer of a second serve forces Thompson to knock a backhand return long on the second, the game going to deuce. But Murray seems to be wilting in the heat, netting another forehand to find himself facing a third break point. Sure enough, Murray sends another forehand wide. Jordan Thompson, the world No90 and a lucky loser here, will serve for the biggest win of his career!
Second set: Murray 6-7, 2-4 Thompson* (*denotes server): Looking to consolidate the break, Thompson rattles away his 10th ace for 30-0. A deft volley makes it 40-0. Murray’s never lost to an Australian before, has he? Thompson holds. Murray’s on the verge of relinquishing that proud record.
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Second set: Murray* 6-7, 2-3 Thompson (*denotes server): Murray seems to be in control at 30-0, but Thompson fancies his chances, dinking a volley away for 30-all. Murray proceeds to make a dog’s dinner of another forehand, gifting Thompson a break point. The chuntering’s becoming louder. A lengthy rally ensues. Thompson approaches the net ... and Murray lifts a backhand lob long! Thompson wheels away clenching his fist - this match is his to lose now!
Second set: Murray 6-7, 2-2 Thompson* (*denotes server): Another poor game from Murray. His forehand’s deserted him.
Second set: Murray* 6-7, 2-1 Thompson (*denotes server): Murray charges to the net, but Thompson slices a brilliant backhand down the line for 0-15. Murray responds with an ace for 15-all. He holds to 30.
Second set: Murray 6-7, 1-1 Thompson* (*denotes server): Murray finds himself holding a 0-30 lead for the first time after steering a backhand pass down the line. Soon he has three break points, Thompson unable to believe he’s walloped an easy forehand wide. Murray can’t take the first two, netting forehand returns, and he overcooks a forehand on the third. He can’t comprehend it, flinging his arms up around in despair. Thompson holds from there. The frustration grows. “This is all pretty standard stuff for Murray early in the grass court season,” says Andy McMahon. “Early struggles, come through in three sets, move through the gears as he progresses further. Even a loss, though obviously not ideal with Wimbledon only two weeks away, would not phase the world No. 1, who’s seen and done it all before. Though he does like to make things difficult for himself, I’ll give him that.”
Second set: Murray* 6-7, 1-0 Thompson (*denotes server): Murray looks in trouble at 15-30, but he begins to stir and ends up holding when he scampers on to a volley and thrashes a forehand past Thompson.
Jordan Thompson wins the first set 7-6!
First set tie-break: Murray* 4-7 Thompson (*denotes server): Thompson goes for a defensive lob. Murray watches, hesitates and prods a dismal overhead backhand into the net! What a wretched tie-break from Murray. He’s been so flat and he deserves to be a set down.
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First set tie-break: Murray* 4-6 Thompson (*denotes server): Thompson balloons a forehand return.
First set tie-break: Murray 3-6 Thompson* (*denotes server): Thompson cracks a 132mph ace down the middle to earn three set points!
First set tie-break: Murray 3-5 Thompson* (*denotes server): Thompson serves well and slaps a forehand down the line.
First set tie-break: Murray* 3-4 Thompson (*denotes server): Murray plonks a drop shot wide!
First set tie-break: Murray* 3-3 Thompson (*denotes server): Now Murray double-faults!
First set tie-break: Murray 3-2 Thompson* (*denotes server): Thompson makes himself feel better with a cute touch at the net. But he’s behind.
First set tie-break: Murray 3-1 Thompson* (*denotes server): Thompson chucks in his first double-fault.
First set tie-break: Murray* 2-1 Thompson (*denotes server): Thompson pushes a forehand wide.
First set tie-break: Murray* 1-1 Thompson (*denotes server): Murray taps the ball away at the net despite Thompson’s baseline scampering.
First set tie-break: Murray 0-1 Thompson* (*denotes server): Murray can’t reach a powerful serve down the middle.
First set: Murray* 6-6 Thompson (*denotes server): Serving to stay in the set for a second time, Murray puts himself in bother with a risible drop shot for 0-15. He tries another one at 15-all. Thompson reaches it and Murray nets a backhand pass for 15-30. Murray knuckles down, pinpoint backhand and an ace making it 40-30, but Thompson forces deuce with a fine backhand return down the line. Murray holds, though. Tie-break.
First set: Murray 5-6 Thompson* (*denotes server): Murray’s timing’s off. More unforced errors stop him from building pressure and Thompson holds to 30. It’s not often Murray goes through a set without carving out a single break point.
First set: Murray* 5-5 Thompson (*denotes server): Serving to stay in the set, Murray charges into a 40-0 lead with an ace down the middle. He holds to love. Are we heading for a tie-break?
First set: Murray 4-5 Thompson* (*denotes server): A little nervy, perhaps, Thompson sends a poor forehand long for 0-15. Another miss with a forehand makes it 15-30. Murray’s eyes light up, but Thompson volleys confidently for 30-all, curves an ace out wide for 40-30 and bangs another one away to hold. Murray will serve to stay in the set.
First set: Murray* 4-4 Thompson (*denotes server): Now Murray holds to love. They haven’t seen many breaks on this court today.
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First set: Murray 3-4 Thompson* (*denotes server): Thompson’s serving well. Another ace sees him hold to love.
First set: Murray* 3-3 Thompson (*denotes server): Murray starts to strike the ball with more venom, driving through a backhand for 15-0. He holds to 15. It’s his first straightforward service game.
First set: Murray 2-3 Thompson* (*denotes server): With the aid of his second ace, Thompson holds to 15 comfortably. Murray’s yet to locate his best tennis.
First set: Murray* 2-2 Thompson (*denotes server): Thompson’s making the early running here, overwhelming Murray in a lengthy rally to make it 15-30, even though he struggled to put away a couple of smashes. The game goes to deuce when Murray, still sluggish, double-faults, but he has enough to hold again.
First set: Murray 1-2 Thompson* (*denotes server): Thompson is playing some impressive stuff early on, reaching a Murray volley and pulling off a gorgeous lob for 40-15. Murray starts to amp up the pace of his shots and two wayward shots from Thompson brings the game to deuce, but the Australian holds with an ace and a clever forehand slice that leaves the world No1 flailing near the baseline.
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First set: Murray* 1-1 Thompson (*denotes server): Murray begins a little shakily, failing to do enough with his forehand on a couple of forehands, allowing Thompson to 15-30. Another error from Murray hands Thompson two break points. Murray inspects his racket. Then he clambers to deuce. Eventually he decides to change his racket. He’s struggling here, though, and butchers another forehand to give Thompson a third break point. The Australian nets a forehand return. Eventually Murray holds.
First set: Murray 0-1 Thompson* (*denotes server): Jordan Thompson, a man with a big serve, won the toss and chose to open the match. He wins the first two points, but Murray grinds and hustles and lobs his way to 30-all. Thompson serves effectively to hold to 30, though.
The players are out on Centre Court and they’re knocking up! We’ll have play soon. By the way, Andy Murray will be donating any winnings from this tournament to the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire.
What price a Murray-Djokovic final?
Stan Wawrinka's first-round defeat at Queen's means that Novak Djokovic will be the second seed at Wimbledon.
— Stuart Fraser (@stu_fraser) June 20, 2017
We’ve already had two upsets on Centre Court today. Earlier Thanaski Kokkinakis overcame Milos Raonic, the world No6, thanks to two stout tie-breaks and now Stan Wawrinka’s out. The second seed has lost 7-6, 7-5 to the veteran grass specialist, Feliciano Lopez, who sealed a fine win when his sliced return clipped the net cord on match point and landed on Wawrinka stranded! It’s already been a good day for Andy Murray, then. He’s seen his two closest challengers for the title depart, though he’ll know any complacency could see him become the latest top player to fall. He’s on next against Jordan Thompson.
Preamble
Hello. The last time we saw Andy Murray on a tennis court the world No1 was being clobbered around the place by Stan Wawrinka. It was a disappointing end to the French Open for Andy Murray, who was one good tie-break away from reaching the final, only to wilt in the face of some barely credible hitting from a resurgent Wawrinka in their semi-final, with the Swiss scaling some extraordinary heights in that whirlwind fifth set.
But Murray wasn’t too dispirited when he left Paris. He kept things in perspective. After all, he started the tournament with his confidence at an unprecedented low after a strangely flat start to 2017 and he had to be happy with a run to the last four in those circumstances. There were signs that his best tennis was returning, even he tended to look dogged rather than inspired for the most part, and that should provide him with plenty of optimism as he prepares for his defence of his Wimbledon title.
Murray’s grass campaign begins here. It was supposed to be against the British No4, Aljaz Bedene, but injury has opened a door for the Australian lucky loser, Jordan Thompson, who might not be feeling so lucky by the end of the afternoon. The 23-year-old, ranked 90th in the world, won’t need to be told that he’s about to face the holder of five Queen’s titles. Murray loves it in this part of London and it will be a big surprise if he’s not still here on Sunday.
Play begins soon.
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