Page 19 - AT

A19
SPORTS Monday 21 october 2019
Andy Murray wins 1st

ATP final since hip surgery

ANTWERP, Belgium (AP) — game of the second set, break points at 4-4 to leave
Andy Murray claimed his and the Scot had to save Wawrinka serving to stay in
first ATP tour title in more more break points to avoid the match.
than 2 1/2 years at the Eu- losing a fourth game in a When Wawrinka blazed a
ropean Open on Sunday in row. forehand well off target on
only his sixth singles tourna- But, having dug in, he got the first match point, it was
ment since returning from his reward as Wawrinka's the former top-ranked Mur-
hip surgery in January. serve went off the boil and ray celebrating a remark-
The 32-year-old Murray ral- his level dipped, with Mur- able comeback.
lied to beat fellow three- ray breaking back to 3-3. Murray is now expected to
time Grand Slam champi- Wawrinka had two more take a break until the Davis
on Stan Wawrinka 3-6, 6-4, chances at 4-4 but again Cup finals next month while
6-4 in the final. Murray fought off the dan- he waits for the birth of his
The last time he lifted sil- ger and it was Murray who third child.
verware in singles came then took his first set point "I'll have three kids under
in Dubai in March 2017, so to clinch it 6-4 and level the 4 years old. I need to get
it was no surprise that the match. on the road so we don't
tears quickly flowed for the Wawrinka stepped up get out of control," Murray
British player. again early in the third set joked. "I'm excited for the
"Obviously it means a lot, and was twice a break third kid. My wife's been a
the last few years have ahead but once more Mur- huge support for getting Andy Murray of Britain poses with the trophy after winning the
been extremely difficult, ray dug in, hitting back im- me back on the court and European Open final tennis match in Antwerp, Belgium, Sunday,
both me and Stan have mediately both times. making me fight to keep Oct. 20, 2019. Murray defeated Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland
3-6/6-4/6-4.
had a lot of injury problems Murray saved two more playing."q Associated Press
the last couple of years,"
Murray said in an on-court
interview broadcast by
Amazon Prime.
"I just managed to hang in
a bit at the end of the sec-
ond set and the third set
was extremely close again.
I didn't expect to be in this
position so I'm very happy.
This is one of the biggest
wins that I've had after ev-
erything so I'm very proud."
It was their grueling French
Open semifinal two years
ago that exacerbated
physical issues for both
players. Murray spent the
next 18 months trying to
find a solution to his hip
problems that would en-
able him to live without
pain, while Wawrinka un-
derwent two knee opera-
tions.
After undergoing hip re-
surfacing surgery, Murray
returned to the court in
June playing doubles —
including at Wimbledon
— before moving back to
singles in August.
The 34-year-old Wawrinka
was looking for his first ATP
title since the 2017 Geneva
Open.
The crucial break of serve
in the first set came in the
second game, with Murray
saving two break points
but not a third, and his
Swiss opponent served it
out 6-3.
Murray looked in deep
trouble when Wawrinka
broke again in the third