Andy Murray shows trademark grit as Wimbledon match against Stefanos Tsitsipas ends on cliffhanger

By Ben Church, CNN

(CNN) — It’s what Wimbledon is all about.

As the sun set in London on Thursday, Andy Murray and Stefanos Tsitsipas were serving up a spectacle under the lights on Centre Court.

Murray, a three-time grand slam champion, was rolling back the years and stood toe-to-toe against his 24-year-old Greek opponent.

The Scot had battled back after losing the first set to take a 2-1 lead in the tie, but the match was paused as it approached 11 p.m. local time, due to restrictions implemented by the local council.

It meant the second-round match ended in somewhat of a cliffhanger, with the battle set to recommence on Friday.

The clash has all the markings of an SW19 classic.

Tsitsipas, the world No. 5, has been tipped by many to one day win a grand slam title but grass is far from his best surface, which left the door open for Murray to cause an upset.

The 36-year-old Murray has struggled with injuries in recent years but was bullish about his form heading into his home slam and delighted crowds on Thursday with his trademark determination.

He even overcame an injury scare in the second set when he slipped on the court and let out a scream.

The crowd took a sharp intake of breath as they watched the Scot climb back to his feet but he recovered well to serve out the set.

Both men continued to produce tennis of the highest quality as the drama of the occasion whipped up an electric atmosphere on court.

With the game poised at 6-7(3-7) 7-6(7-2) 6-4, all eyes will be on the pair as they retake Centre Court later on Friday.

The British supporters at Wimbledon had plenty to cheer about on Thursday.

Liam Broady, the world No. 142, fulfilled his dream of winning on Centre Court at Wimbledon as the Brit caused a major upset by beating world No. 4 Casper Ruud.

The 29-year-old won in five sets – 6-4 3-6 4-6 6-3 6-0 – to send the crowd into a frenzy.

“It was a pretty terrifying, exhilarating experience coming out at Centre Court – but it’s been my dream since I was five years old,” Broady told reporters after the match.

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