So Murray marches on, winning in under two hours again, clearly determined not to suffer a repeat of his French Open exertions and waste too much energy in the early rounds. He’s into his ninth consecutive Wimbledon quarter-final, where he’ll face Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Wednesday. He beat the Frenchman here in 2010 and 2012 and has won 12 of their 15 meetings. Thanks for reading. That’s all from me today. Bye.
Andy Murray beats Nick Kyrgios 7-5, 6-1, 6-4!
Serving for the match, Murray seems to lose concentration, knocking a forehand too long for 0-15. Yet he wins the next two points for a 30-15 lead before crunching a contemptuous forehand away to earn two match points. He only needs one. An ace out wide finishes the job. Ruthless.
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Third set: Murray 7-5, 6-1, 5-4 Kyrgios* (*denotes server): Serving to stay in the match, Kyrgios is down 15-30 after Murray speeds on to a drop shot and dabs a backhand down the line. Kyrgios makes it 30-all, then aces for 40-30, but the game goes to deuce when he yawns a backhand into the net. Soon Murray has a match point as Kyrgios overcooks a backhand down the line. Kyrgios denies him by serve-volleying but Murray earns a second match point with an outrageous forehand pass from right to left. Yet he’s forced to wait again after netting a forehand and Kyrgios holds. Murray will have to serve it out. You never know.
Third set: Murray* 7-5, 6-1, 5-3 Kyrgios (*denotes server): A Murray backhand flicks off the top of the net and flies straight at Kyrgios, who is only able to react by blocking a volley short. Murray flicks a forehand beyond him for 30-0, aces for 40-0 and holds to love when Kyrgios nets a forehand. The difference today, beyond ability, has been mentality. Kyrgios’s response to losing the first set will only provide his many critics with more ammunition. He’s such a talent but it will lead nowhere if he isn’t willing to put the effort in.
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Third set: Murray 7-5, 6-1, 4-3 Kyrgios* (*denotes server): Kyrgios holds to 15. Belatedly, some resistance. He doesn’t have much but he does have hope.
Third set: Murray* 7-5, 6-1, 4-2 Kyrgios (*denotes server): John McEnroe is panning Nick Kyrgios on the BBC, criticising him for a “mentally lazy” performance. Murray holds to love. Roger Federer hasn’t dropped a set yet and Murray looks like maintaining his immaculate record as well. “You’d think Kyrgios might have an easier time of it if he weren’t wearing what looks like a week’s worth of shirts at once,” says George Chapman. “Looks very uncomfortable indeed.”
Third set: Murray 7-5, 6-1, 3-2 Kyrgios* (*denotes server): Kyrgios holds to 30, Murray steering a backhand wide after reaching a drop shot. He’ll be feeling a bit better after that but, well, y’know.
Third set: Murray 7-5, 6-1, 3-1 Kyrgios* (*denotes server): Kyrgios didn’t bother sitting down during the changeover. He just walked round the net and milled around the baseline. He’s ... well, he’s a character. If it’s a tactic - and I suspect it isn’t - it’s not going to work. Murray is torturing him. He skips into a 40-0 lead, his forehand and backhand clicking beautifully. This is just so good from the world No2 and he holds to love, consolidating the break. This might not be the classic we were hoping for but at least we can bask in a Murray masterclass.
Third set: Murray 7-5, 6-1, 2-1 Kyrgios* (*denotes server): Murray is desperate to get this done in three sets. He charges into a 0-30 lead and he’s beginning to chip away at the Kyrgios serve. Kyrgios then flays a forehand wide to give up three break points. Murray can’t take the first, so he takes the third, attacking a second serve before skelping a forehand away. “Come on!” he cries. He’s inserted himself inside his mate’s head and Kyrgios is really feeling it now.
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Third set: Murray* 7-5, 6-1, 1-1 Kyrgios (*denotes server): At 15-all, Murray looks like he’s reacted to a huge forehand down the line from Kyrgios with a defensive backhand slice. Instead it turns out it’s a drop shot winner. That’s absurd. You know, there are people who say Murray’s miserable and dull. I say that they’re miserable and dull. He makes it 40-15 with a forehand lob and holds with a drop shot.
Third set: Murray 7-5, 6-1, 0-1 Kyrgios* (*denotes server): Kyrgios holds to 15. Sorry. I was having Wifi problems.
Andy Murray wins the second set to lead 7-5, 6-1!
Serving for the first set, Murray drops the first point, crashing a forehand too long. Yet Murray wins the next point before two consecutive aces earns him a two-set lead. He’s a set away from reaching another Wimbledon quarter-final. That set lasted 26 minutes.
Second set: Murray 7-5, 5-1 Kyrgios* (*denotes server): Whoever wins this match will play Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the last eight. The 12th seed led by a break in the first set against his fellow Frenchman, Richard Gasquet, who’s been forced to retire after pulling a back muscle. That’s rotten luck for a player who’s been in fine form this year. As for who’ll face Tsonga, it’s looking like Murray at the moment. Kyrgios is falling apart. He’s rushing everything now, disintegrating, playing three awful points to hand Murray three break points. He saves two of them. He splutters a forehand wide to gift Murray the third, though, and this set is surely done. Kyrgios gestures to his box but there’s only one person deserving of blame here.
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Second set: Murray* 7-5, 4-1 Kyrgios (*denotes server): Kyrgios rouses himself with a searing backhand down the line for 0-15 but it’s 15-all after he knocks another one wide. Murray then makes it 30-15 with an ace out wide. He holds to 15. Kyrgios looks like he’s checked out mentally at the moment.
Second set: Murray 7-5, 3-1 Kyrgios* (*denotes server): Kyrgios is in trouble after pulling a careless backhand wide for 15-30. Then Murray comes up with a strong backhand return and Kyrgios nets a backhand to give up two break points. He’s flirting with disaster and though he saves the first break point, he drops his serve when he nets another volley off a firm Murray backhand.
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Second set: Murray* 7-5, 2-1 Kyrgios (*denotes server): Kyrgios shows some excellent anticipation at the net, dealing with a series of attempted passes from Murray, eventually making it 0-15 with a well judged volley. Soon he has a 15-30 lead, Murray netting a forehand. The Scot’s annoyed with himself and he needs to be careful, with Kyrgios clearly trying to raise his level. Kyrgios lets him off the hook a little, however, doing nothing with a second serve return, allowing Murray to make it 30-all with a forehand. Murray makes it 40-30 with a flat forehand that allows him to win the point with a volley but the game goes to deuce after a loose forehand from Murray. This isn’t a straightforward game for Murray but he earns a game point with a stunning drop shot, allowing him to knock a backhand down the line. He holds when Kyrgios, seemingly losing interest for a second or two, needlessly slices a forehand into the net. Odd.
Second set: Murray 7-5, 1-1 Kyrgios* (*denotes server): Kyrgios rattles into a 30-0 lead, drop shotting, then serving big. Soon it’s 40-0, as Murray hoicks another backhand lob wide. He’s missed two of those today. Kyrgios then tries a half-volley tweener. It goes long -it’s lucky he did it at 40-0 because there’s enough time for him to batter an ace away to hold.
Second set: Murray* 7-5, 1-0 Kyrgios (*denotes server): Murray wins the first point, then wallops a glorious forehand pass down the line. Kyrgios slips heavily but he’s soon back to his feet. He can’t do anything about a wide ace from Murray for 40-0. Murray holds to love. Kyrgios needs to switch on, forget about the volley that gave up the first set.
Andy Murray wins the first set 7-5!
Serving to stay in the first set, Kyrgios nets a backhand for 0-15, before Murray cracks a backhand pass beyond him for a 0-30 lead. Suddenly he’s two points from the first set. Make that one set. He spots Kyrgios coming forward and befuddles him with a teasing backhand slice. Kyrgios can only stumble and volley wide for 0-40. Three set points, then. But Kyrgios saves the first with a 129mph ace, then the second with a 136mph serve that Murray blocks wide. Yet Murray gets the third one back and now Kyrgios is vulnerable. Murray is forced wide – but he whips a forehand from right to left and Kyrgios, perhaps not expecting it to come back, clips a forehand volley into the net! Oof. That was a very good first set and it’s gone to the favourite. This is how it went in last year’s US Open.
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First set: Murray* 6-5 Kyrgios (*denotes server): The first two points are shared, Kyrgios making it 15-all with a sweet touch at the net. He’s so talented, blessed with skill that can’t be taught. Murray’s a classy operator as well, though, and he holds to 15, Lendling Kyrgios on the final point. Kyrgios will have to hold to force a tie-break.
First set: Murray 5-5 Kyrgios* (*denotes server): Kyrgios shakes his head and smiles as a roar of support for Murray from the crowd delays his first serve for a moment or two. It doesn’t seem to put him off on the first point but he does lose concentration on the second, thrashing a gimme of a volley miles past the baseline, almost into the Royal Box. He shakes it out of his system, though, serving confidently and moving into a 40-15 lead. He holds to 15. He’s shown composure in every difficult moment. This is very tight. This set could go either way.
First set: Murray* 5-4 Kyrgios (*denotes server): Sensing that this could be his chance after that hold, Kyrgios gives a Murray second serve the treatment and shows some good hands at the net with a volley for 0-15. “No!” he cries, however, after netting a backhand down the line for 15-all. Murray was off balance and out of position. Reprieved, Murray makes it 30-15 with a trademark drop shot but he’s under pressure after an errant forehand makes it 30-all. Once again, he’s not getting that first serve in. But he makes it 40-30 after Kyrgios nets a forehand at the end of a lengthy rally. “Swing! Swing! Swing!” Kyrgios shouts. Murray holds with a precise forehand and Kyrgios will have to hold to prolong the first set.
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First set: Murray 4-4 Kyrgios* (*denotes server): Murray plays the first point carefully, waiting, waiting, waiting, patient, patient, patient, then landing the first strike with a pinpoint forehand for 0-15. He’s beginning to work Kyrgios over and he’s pumping his fist when he dominates and whips a forehand from left to right for a 0-30 lead. Yet Kyrgios punches pack, serving well for 15-30 then making it 30-all with a clean forehand winner. A huge ace down the middle makes it 40-30. Brilliant. Murray challenges in vain. Another ace is a fine way to hold from 0-30 down.
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First set: Murray* 4-3 Kyrgios (*denotes server): Kyrgios can only block long off two Murray serves on the first two points. He’s annoyed with himself. Murray then wallops a smash away to make it 40-0 before sealing the first hold to love by winning a game of cat and mouse at the net.
First set: Murray 3-3 Kyrgios* (*denotes server): Kyrgios is being positive enough to move in off his serve. Though it can be a risky tactic against Murray. At 30-0, Murray scoops a forehand over the stranded Kyrgios, who then pulls a forehand wide to make it 30-all. A clever ace out wide from Kyrgios makes it 40-30, though, Murray failing to read it and he holds with a crunching forehand down the line. He’s passed that test.
First set: Murray* 3-2 Kyrgios (*denotes server): Murray loses the first point, dragging a forehand into the net to make it 0-15. It’s all very interesting. Then Murray appears to snooze a forehand long. Or has he? He challenges and Hawkeye, trusty Hawkeye, shows that it caught the line. Kyrgios is undeterred. He unwinds on the next point, a forehand missile softening Murray up before he feathers a drop shot over the net. Murray can only dab wide and it’s 15-30. Yet here’s a sign of the Kyrgios inconsistency, a wasteful drop shot into the net making it 30-all. He had Murray on the run there. Soon it’s 40-30 - and Murray holds when a Kyrgios forehand down the line drops just wide.
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First set: Murray 2-2 Kyrgios* (*denotes server): Murray has never lost to an Australian but if anyone’s going to put an end to a run that stretches back to 2006, it’s surely Nick Kyrgios. Could it be today? It’s definitely not out of the question. The first two points in this game are shared before Kyrgios moves into a 30-15 lead with a delicate drop shot. Then he serve-volleys for a 40-15 lead. He polishes it off with more strong serving, barrelling forward to punch a forehand away. They’ve both started well.
First set: Murray* 2-1 Kyrgios (*denotes server): A first serve from Murray kisses the line and befuddles Kyrgios, who mistakenly challenges. That’s 15-0. Murray holds to 15, Kyrgios smacking a forehand long on the final point.
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First set: Murray 1-1 Kyrgios* (*denotes server): The first game of many out of the way, time to change ends, with Murray in front of the Royal Box now. He gets a look at a second serve on the first point and wins it, hitting his forehand powerfully. He should win the next one too, pulling Kyrgios forward with a drop shot but hooking a backhand lob wide. By his standards, that’s a poor miss and a costly one, too, because it gives Kyrgios a platform to race into a 40-15 lead thanks to two rasping serves. The game goes to 40-30 but Kyrgios holds with another excellent ace.
First set: Murray* 1-0 Kyrgios (*denotes server): Here we go. Nick Krygios, headband on (on his head, I hasten to add; you never know), springs up from his chair first and he’s soon followed by Andy Murray, who’s greeted by a huge cheer from the crowd. It’s Murray to serve first and he loses the first rally, slicing into the net for 0-15. He responds by swinging an ace down the middle. At 30-15, they trade in a series of low backhand slices, the cause of much hilarity in the crowd. This is what passes for comedy. Murray eventually nets a backhand and the umpire asks the crowd to keep their “enthusiasm” to themselves until the point’s done. After all, this is a tense start, with Murray not making too many first serves. In the end, though, he holds to 30 with his second ace down the middle.
The players are out. They’re knocking up. Tok! Tok! Tokity tok.
John McEnroe is tipping a victory for Murray. But then he was wearing a snapback with a suit earlier.
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The roof has come off Centre Court for this one and the atmosphere’s building. This should be the best match of the tournament so far and it might - assuming he wins - be Murray’s toughest before the final. These two are the best of mates off court as well. “It was love at first sight,” Kyrgios says.
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Nick Kyrgios on Nick Kyrgios: “I’m obviously relaxed, I’m nervous as well.” He’s not a straightforward guy.
Preamble
Hello. When it’s put to Andy Murray that all that’s left to do is collect the trophy on Sunday now that Novak Djokovic is out, it’s understandable that he pays little attention. There’s plenty of hard work left for the world No2, even though he’s looked imperious so far. Today Murray puts his bromance with Nick Kyrgios to one side and he’ll know that the Australian youngster is a huge threat to his ambitions of winning Wimbledon for the second time. Though Murray is yet to lose to Kyrgios, knocking him out of three of the four grand slam events last year, there’s a first time for everything. This one’s likely to be eventful.
Play begins: soon.
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