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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Tom Kershaw

Andy Murray wins Queen's doubles final alongside Feliciano Lopez to clinch first title in over two years

Andy Murray and Feliciano Lopez claimed victory in the men’s doubles final at Queen’s Club.

Murray, who wins his first title in over two years, defeated Joe Salisbury and Rajeev Ram 7-6 5-7 10-5 in front of packed crown in west London.

For the Scot, who hadn't played for six months before this week, it is the perfect return to the game while Lopez adds the doubles crown to the singles title which he won earlier in the day.

Welcome to The Independent's live coverage from Sunday at Queen's Club.
 
First up, Feliciano Lopez faces veteran Frenchman Gilles Muller in a men's singles final.
 
Then, Lopez will return alongside Andy Murray as the former world No 1 looks to win his first title in over two years, just five months after undergoing career-threatening surgery on his hip. Murray and Lopez face Joe Salisbury and Rajeev Ram.
 
We'll have all the latest updates throughout the day's play.
Alfie Hewett has won the wheelchair singles, defeating second seed and fellow Briton Gordon Reid 6-2 7-5 in an hour and 28 minutes. 
 
The pair will both return though, transformed from enemies to teammates, when they play Joachim Gerard and Stefan Olsson in the double's final later today.
In other news, Katie Boulter has been forced to withdraw from Wimbledon qualifying due to an ongoing back injury. 
 
"The road to recovery has had its ups and downs; at various points along the way I’ve been very close to getting back on court and competing, but unfortunately I’m not quite ready in time for Wimbledon, and on the advice of my medical team, I’ve therefore made the decision to give my recovery a couple more weeks."
 
Andy Murray admits he never expected to reach this stage of the tournament upon making his return. 
 
It's been just five months since his operation and yet his return has become more than just a showpiece for the Fever-Tree Championships. 
 
"I didn't have high expectations at all," he said.

"I had a tough, tough draw, playing the top seeds in the first match and I've never played with Feli [Lopez] before.

"I think things have probably got a little bit better maybe with each match as well."
Murray's partner, Feliciano Lopez, is being forced to defy his 37 years of age, with just a ten-minute rest between his singles semi-final and doubles semi-final yesterday.
 
Today, the back-to-back schedule continues with little time to lay back after his single's final against Gilles Simon.
 
"Of course I'm tired," Lopez said after the doubles semi-final.

"I've been playing a lot this week. I haven't played much because I was injured. I haven't played three matches in a row in six months. My body feels sore but I'm ready for tomorrow."
 
Not long to go now! Lopez and Simon are preparing to take Centre Court and begin their warm-ups.
 
 
In Germany, Roger Federer has just clinched his 10th ATP title in Halle, defeating David Goffin 6-2 6-1 in the final.
And we're underway! It's Simon serving first, dressed in blue and black, while Lopez preps for Wimbledon in all white with a bandana tucking away his hair. The veterans begin their duel.
*Lopez 1-0 Simon
 
It's not the most lethal of starts as both players grind the old cogs into gear and attempt the shake off the rust of a gruelling past few days.
 
Lopez returns Simon's serve with a flat slice but their groundstrokes are felling well short of the baseline. An exchange of unforced errors carries the game to deuce and the long rallies becomes a battle of consistency rather than punishment.
 
A weary looking Simon carries his backhand beyond the baseline and Lopez has the early break.
Lopez 2-0 Simon*
 
Lopez is attempting to force Simon into shorter points and avoid the long, tiring rallies that the Frenchman favours. He has already attempted three drop shots and takes to closing in on the net and challenging Simon to pass him. 
 
Lopez has the upper hand thus far, finding the crisper groundstrokes with Simon still a bit off-kilter and the Spaniard comfortably sees out the second game
*Lopez 2-1 Simon
 
It's another struggle for Simon who cutting a rather despairing figure for such an early stage of the match. Lopez outplays him from the baseline again to force the break point, but Simon recovers with a wonderful slice that wrong-foots the Spaniard when under pressure.
 
A weak second-serve is bludgeoned back by Lopez, but Simon digs out the strength to hold on and get a much-needed game under his belt to halt that early swing of momentum.
Lopez 3-1 Simon*
 
The simplest of games for Lopez whose serve is pushing Simon onto the backfoot and allowing the Spaniard to tee up his forehand for which the Frenchman currently has no answer. He races to 40-0, slips a point going for the TV winner, before closing out the game the following point. It's one-way traffic for the time bing.
*Lopez 4-1 Simon
 
Great play from Lopez again who runs around his forehand and puppets Simon back and forth. A deft lob forces Simon to attempt a hot-dog shot on the run but it soars past the baseline by a couple of foot and Lopez has a pair of break points.
 
He converts the second and it's quick work for the Spaniard thus far.
 
 
 
Lopez 5-1 Simon*
 
Lopez finds himself in a spot of bother after Simon's brilliant passing shot forces two break points. Yet the Spaniard seems to effortlessly delve into a greater speed of serving and sees off that danger abruptly, dividing his time between the tee and tramline. He's tagged back by Simon at deuce though, courtesy of another brilliant backhand winner, but a final rifled serve sees off that minor scare. He lets out a deep sigh and he's on the very of clinching the first set now.
*Lopez 5-2 Simon
 
That's better from Simon who sees out the service game quickly, finally finding the corners with his groundstrokes and taking advantage of Lopez's tired legs.
Lopez 6-2 Simon
 
And that's the first set. More dominant serving from Lopez and he's comfortably outplayed Simon this first set. His forehand has far greater speed, the serves are are a world apart, and that's been the difference in a game chock full of unforced errors.
 
Lopez will desperately be hoping the second can take the same course ahead of his double's final because he certainly looks fatigued.
Lopez 0-1 Simon*
 
A nice first-service game to steady the ship for Simon who's treating this second set as a fresh start and places down his early marker.
*Lopez 0-2 Simon
 
And there's the break. The tides have turned as Simon raises his level and Lopez appears to have let his concentration slide. The Frenchman is right back in this after another nice series of groundstrokes that exhaust the energy from Lopez.
Lopez 1-2 Simon*
 
But Lopez hits back straight away, winning a 30-shot rally to set-up three break points. He only needs the first and just when it looked like Simon had forced a glimmer of hope, the door's been banged back in his face.
*Lopez 2-2 Simon
 
Simon places a limp volley at Lopez's forehand and can only raise a fist in acknowledgement as the Spaniard zips a top-spin forehand across his brow.
 
It's still too easy for Lopez at the moment who can, whenever able to summon the energy to raise his game, quickly convert a series of points by relying on his serve and forehand.

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