Andy Murray and partner Joe Salisbury glimpsed the beauty of the medal round, but felt the brutality of falling short.
Former world No. 1 Murray and Salisbury held a one-set, 4-2 lead in the Tokyo Olympics quarterfinals before the Croatian pair of Marin Cilic and Ivan Dodig rallied for a 4-6, 7-6(2), 10-7 triumph to make the medal round.
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"This was another chance with Joe to win a medal. We were so close, that’s what is so disappointing," Murray said afterward. "I’d like to have done stuff in the match to try to help out more. It’s hard. I hate losing. I wanted to try to win a medal with Joe. It’s difficult to take.
“You have regrets, think about points, things you should have done differently."
Down 2-3 in the decisive tiebreaker, the Croatians won six straight points to snatch an 8-3 lead. Murray and Salisbury responded with a three point run for 6-8 before Cilic and Dodig closed the two hour, 18-minute victory.
Two-time Olympic gold-medal champion Murray, the only player in history to successfully defend the singles gold medal, suggested this could be his Olympics farewell. Murray, who partnered Laura Robson to the 2012 mixed doubles silver medal, is uncertain if he will play a fifth Olympics in Paris in 2024.
"I wish it could have gone a little better but shit happens. And if this is the end of my olympics journey I want to say a huge thanks to TeamGB and all the tennis support team for everything they have done to help me perform at my best over the years," Murray posted on Twitter. "It’s been an absolute privilege to represent you and my country at 4 Olympics and it’s given me some of the best memories of my life."
Photo credit: International Tennis Federation