Daily Times

LONDON: Two-time champion Andy Murray won his first Wimbledon singles match since 2017 on Monday with a four-set triumph over Nikoloz Basilashvili and hailed the Centre Court crowd which carried him to victory. Murray, the champion in 2013 and 2016 but who has fought a long battle with hip and groin injuries in recent years, triumphed 6-4, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 over the 24th seeded Basilashvili. “It has been extremely tough, even in the last few months,” said 34-year-old Murray. “It was not the most serious of injuries but it was frustrating not to be able to get on the court. I have had so little momentum over the last few years but kept on going to the gym and trying to get back to do it again.” Now ranked a lowly 118 in the world, former number one Murray will face either Oscar Otte of Germany or France’s Arthur Rinderknech for a place in the last 32. His last appearance in the singles tournament at Wimbledon four years ago ended in a five-set loss to Sam Querrey in the quarter-finals. A long-standing hip problem, which required surgery, then pushed him tearfully to the brink of retirement.