Murray Defends Olympic Gold Title

 

Britain’s Andy Murray defended his Olympic men’s singles title with a mammoth four-set win over Juan Martin del Potro.  Murray needed just over four hours to win 7-5 4-6 6-2 7-5 and secure Team GB's fifth gold medal of the day and 15th of a brilliant Olympic Games in Rio.

The world No 2, who defeated Roger Federer in straight sets to win gold on Wimbledon's Centre Court in London four years ago, made an early break on his way to taking the opening set. when Del Potro bounced back to claim the second, Murray was faced with the prospect of a least two more sets with the men's Olympic final a best of five match as opposed to the best of three for the rest of the tournament.

Murray rallied to race through the third before sealing victory over a tiring Argentine in a roller-coaster fourth set that featured seven breaks of serve, Murray sealing the win appropriately enough with a break to avoid a tie-break or the need for a deciding set.

Del Potro's armies of fans did not have far to travel but there were plenty of British fans and Murray's masses were swelled by the Brazilian fans determined not to see a gold for their fierce rivals. As he had done in all five of his previous matches Murray, on a 17-match winning streak after following Queens with his second Wimbledon crown, roared out of the traps to break Del Potro in his opening service game.

Back came Del Potro with an immediate break back but Murray broke again for a 3-1 lead which he consolidated in fine style - a fourth break in the opening seven games got the game back on serve and it looked to be heading for a tie break until Murray struck when leading 6-5, a brilliant backhand winner sealing the first set. As both men looked to regain their energies they traded the opening four games of the third with neither in any real trouble on their serve until Murray broke for a 4-2 lead.

The Scot had to withstand another barrage of forehand winners as Del Potro again underlined his return to form and fitness only to broken and for Murray to take the third set 6-2, looking like he had finally broken the Argentine. But after a nightmare spell with a wrist injury that have hindered his attempts to scale the heights that saw him win the 2009 US Open, Del Potro was to roar back in a thrilling fourth.

Murray's win makes him the first man to successfully defend the men's Olympic title, but while Del Potro will be disappointed not to have claimed the gold, his performances over the week in Rio show he is on way back to the top level, but the glory was all Murray's.