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Curfew pauses Murray-Tsitsipas battle on cliff-hanger – ARN News Centre
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AFP
Andy Murray must come back on Friday to earn a spot in the third round after an epic battle with Greek powerhouse Stefanos Tsitsipas was halted with the clock approaching 11pm local time on Thursday.
If guts and grit win grand slam titles just hand the Wimbledon trophy to Andy Murray right now.
The scoreboard under the lights showed Murray leading the hard-fought contest 6-7(3) 7-6(2) 6-4.
It had been a fascinating match played out in a heady Centre Court atmosphere with nothing to separate twice champion Murray and his flaxen-haired fifth-seeded opponent.
Whisper it quietly, but there have been times over the past 19 years that much of the Wimbledon crowd has not always found it easy to take to the passionate Scot.
Today, Murray is nothing short of a National Treasure, having famously ended Britain’s 77-year wait for a home men’s singles champion in 2013, and the Centre Court crowd roared their appreciation throughout in the chill of London’s evening.
The younger man by a dozen years, Tsitsipas has never got past the fourth round in five previous visits and despite his more youthful legs – and Murray’s metal hip – it was the Scot who looked more comfortable moving around the slick surface.
There was so very little to choose between the two combatants in the opening set – just two points separated them, Murray winning 37 points and Tsitsipas 39.
But the Greek won when they mattered as it came to an almost-inevitable tiebreak.
One of his 21 clean winners in that opening set came to punch through Murray’s defences for a 4-3 lead in the tiebreak.
Two points later he held three set points at 6-3, and converted on his first by out-manoeuvring the Scot to take a one-set lead after just shy of an hour’s play.
Time and time again over the years, though, Murray has shown he is hewn from granite and he slugged toe-to-toe with the younger man.
The clock ticked, the games rolled over and once again the set entered a tiebreak and this time Murray was not to be denied, levelling the match with a roar and an air-punch and Centre Court jumped to its feet.
The heady atmosphere seeping into every cubic inch of the arena hung in the air and when play resumed for a third set Murray broke the mighty Greek serve for the first time in the match to burst out of the gates into an early lead.
It was one he would not relinquish and at 10:38pm he fired a service that Tsitsipas could only return long.
Murray sat in his seat, looked at his team in the stands and waved his hand in a ‘call it’ gesture as the umpire announced play would be suspended until Friday.
The break could hardly have come at a better time for Murray who had just been wrong-footed and yelped in pain as he slid to the ground.
Tsitsipas stalked off court while Murray collected his bag and the crowd roared their appreciation as the night-time clash ended on a cliff-hanger.
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Tributes have poured in after the son of former Chelsea star Eddie Newton was found dead alongside his friend following a hike in the UAE, where temperatures soared to 50C.
Cassius Newton, 34, and his friend Aran Martinson, 33, were found by rescuers on July 18 after setting out on a hike in the mountainous Wadi Naqab region.
The pair, from Dorset and Essex respectively, both lived and worked in the UAE. Their bodies were discovered between 3km and 4km from their vehicle.
According to a report, Chelmsford area coroner Michelle Brown said their provisional causes of death included cardiac and respiratory arrest.
Cassius, a non-league footballer, was the son of former Chelsea midfielder and coach Eddie Newton, who spent more than a decade with the club.
His wife was in the UK when she became concerned after Cassius failed to contact her following the hike and reported him missing.
The two men had been living at a luxury resort in Ras Al Khaimah.
Tributes after desert tragedy
Tributes poured in after the deaths.
Aran’s wife described him as “incredibly driven, hardworking and ambitious”, saying he had recently begun a new chapter in his career and was excited about the future.
Blackfield & Langley Football Club paid tribute to their former player, saying: “It is with heavy hearts that we share the sad news of the passing of former player Cassius Newton; our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with his family and friends during this difficult time.”
National League club Eastleigh, where Cassius had previously played, said it was “deeply saddened” by his death.
Chelsea connection
Cassius’ father Eddie Newton played for Chelsea from 1990 to 2001 and famously scored in the club’s 1997 FA Cup final victory.
The former midfielder also represented Cardiff City, Birmingham City, Oxford United and Barnet.
After retiring as a player, Newton moved into coaching, working as assistant manager at MK Dons and West Brom before returning to Chelsea.
He later served as assistant manager under Roberto Di Matteo and Rafael Benítez.
(With inputs from BBC, The Sun)
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