By Chris Oddo | Tuesday May 24, 2016
Andy Murray won a dramatic fifth set to complete his comeback against Radek Stepanek on Tuesday in Paris.
Photo Source: Clive Brunskill/Getty
Andy Murray completed his ninth career comeback from two sets to love down on Tuesday, finishing off the fourth and fifth sets despite a strong push and many moments of brilliance from an inspired Radek Stepanek to win, 3-6, 3-6, 6-0, 6-3, 7-5.
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It was a valiant effort from the 37-year-old Czech, who had taken a two sets to love lead on Monday in front of a shocked crowd on Court Philippe Chatrier. But the qualifier ended up dropping the third set and fell behind in the fourth before the match was suspended due to darkness.
A good night’s rest appeared to serve Stepanek well in the early going on Tuesday.
The former world No. 8, bidding to become the oldest male to win a match at a Grand Slam in nearly 24 years, earned two break points in the seventh game of the fourth set after play resumed, but Murray held firm to take the game, and later the set.
Murray’s physicality and positive energy was matched stroke for stroke by Stepanek’s creativity and sublime volleys for most of a tense, dramatic fifth set. Though Murray held the edge in the rallies as errors creeped into Stepanek’s game, the Czech was able to wiggle out of trouble and come up with some big shots. He saved break points in the first and fifth games of the set, and later rallied to 30-all and two deuces in the tenth game of the set, but he could not use his guile to induce a match point from Murray as the Scot teetered on the brink.
That tense tenth game turned out to be Stepanek’s only chance to steal the match.
Once Murray steered the ship to safety he quickly earned two more break points with Stepanek serving at five-all, converting the second when the Czech netted a forehand.
The Second seed then converted his second match point a game later when Stepanek’s backhand floated wide.
A relieved Murray moves on to face French qualifier Mathias Bourgue in the second round. The draw could have been obliterated to pieces in Murray’s quadrant, but the Scot lives on, at least for now. Remarkably, Murray sees his record in five setters when he drops the opening two sets improve to 9-2 lifetime. Overall, Murray has won 21 and lost 7 when he has been pushed to five sets, including wins in nine of his last ten five setters.