Andy Murray marked his 1,000th tour match with a first-round 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win against Australia’s Alexei Popyrin at the ATP Queen’s Club Championships on Tuesday, in what his likely to be his last appearance at the tournament.
In February, the three-time Grand Slam champion had cast doubts over continuing to play beyond this summer. He was named in Great Britain’s team for the Olympics but said his involvement at the Games is contingent on how his body holds up over the “next few weeks.”
In anticipation of his likely farewell from the game, the All England Lawn Tennis Club have also revealed plans to honour Murray this year at Wimbledon, where he’s set to play doubles with his brother, Jamie.
Following his first-round exit from the Stuttgart Open earlier in the month, Murray earned his first win of the grass-court season on Tuesday after a hard-fought encounter with Popyrin.
The Australian, who broke into the top 50 for the first time this year, struggled for rhythm in the first set, committing nine unforced errors to cede the set 6-3 to Murray.
But Popyrin did well to regain his composure and took the second set after breaking the Brit at the first time of asking. Murray rarely looked comfortable through the match, seemingly troubled by a minor complaint.
But roared on by a sellout crowd, Murray bounced back. The momentum shifted back in his favour in the third game of the deciding set, after a brilliant cross-court pass saw him gain advantage and then eventually break Popyrin.
The 37-year-old held his serve, held his nerve and eventually secured passage to the second round of the tournament he’s won five times.
“I didn’t realise; my mum told me it’s my 1,000th match on tour. A lot of matches and a lot of wear and tear on the body. It’s not easy, but I’m pushing through it,” Murray said after the game.
“I haven’t gotten too many wins this year. It’s been a difficult season, but I did well to come through in the end.
“Any win you can get is important, that’s why we’re playing. To try and win matches. With Wimbledon a few weeks away, I want to try and build up confidence and get some matches in my legs.”
British No.1 Jack Draper, who won his first title at the Stuttgart Open last Sunday, began the tournament with a 6-3, 6-2 win against Argentina’s Mariano Navone.
Dan Evans was forced to retire midway through his first-round match against Brandon Nakashima because of injury.
Evans went down screaming following a slip at the back of the court. After a lengthy break for treatment, he was forced to withdraw from the game.
The 34-year-old subsequently pulled out of the doubles event at Queen’s, where he was set to partner Murray, and his involvement at Wimbledon and the Olympics is now at risk.
At the Birmingham Open, Katie Boulter was forced to retire during her first-round game against Anhelina Kalinina due to illness. Caroline Wozniacki made her return to grass-court action at the same tournament, but suffered a 6-4, 6-1 loss to Belgian fifth seed Elise Mertens.
Amelia Rajecki and Heather Watson were knocked out in their first round matches while Britain No. 2 Harriet Dart won her opening match against Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima 6-3, 6-3.