Great Britain took on Switzerland in the Davis Cup in Manchester this week. Former world number one Andy Murray came back from the jaws of defeat to deliver an epic victory for Britain. He had to dig in deep and use every skill in his arsenal to overcome his Swiss opponent, and he did. However, it was an emotional win for Murray, as it came with the price of missing his grandmother’s funeral.
Andy took on Leandro Reidi, who was making his Davis Cup debut for Switzerland. Reidi was a tough opponent to beat, and the match lasted well over three hours. Murray had to fall back on his skills and experience to defeat the debutant 6-7 (7), 6-4, 6-4.
Following his victory, the Scot joined Naomi Broady for an interview. Murray recalled a funny incident that happened earlier in the day, much to the amusement of the crowd. But soon his mood turned solemn, as he revealed that he missed his grandmother’s funeral to play the match.
Andy Murray dedicated his win today to his grandmother, who’s funeral was today:
“It’s my gran’s funeral today.. I’m sorry to my family that I’m not able to be there. But gran, that one’s for you.” 🥹
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 15, 2023
Murray was holding back tears and took a few seconds to collect himself before he continued. He apologised to his family for missing the funeral, and in a sweet gesture, dedicated his win to his grandmother. “I’m sorry to my family that I’m not able to be there. Gran, that one’s for you,” said Murray (via Tennis.com).
He then returned to his bench and cried into his towel. It was an emotional day for Andy Murray, as he experienced the gamut of emotions, from missing the funeral to winning a match for Great Britain.
How Andy Murray put Great Britain ahead
Tennis veteran Andy Murray took on Leandro Reidi in a high-octane match. Murray emerged victorious, which allowed Britain to edge past Switzerland in their encounter. Out of the 35 matches that he had previously played, Murray had lost only three of them. But Reidi ranked 152 at present, proved a difficult challenge for Murray.
The first game lasted 11 minutes but Murray broke serve and went up 4-0 very quickly. However, Andy could not hold on to the lead, as Leandro fought his way back into the game with his aggressive shotmaking. Murray had a chance to serve for the set at 5-3, but the 21-year-old pushed the set into a tiebreak. Leandro eventually won the opening set.
Cool and collected 🧊@andy_murray | #DavisCup | @the_LTA pic.twitter.com/nIZFnFWKzw
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) September 15, 2023
Leandro forced Andy onto the back foot with his big forehands, but Murray dug in deep to rescue the rubber. Murray finally broke through when Reidi double-faulted at 3-3, and then there was no stopping him. He broke twice in the final set and sealed his victory with an ace.
Andy Murray proved his mettle once again. While he has not performed up to his standards in the Grand Slams, the fire of competitiveness still burns brightly within him.
