Andy Murray fights on after thrilling super tie-break comeback (2024)

Cross-country at Château de Versailles 😍

Our eventing team hold onto gold medal position with a total of 82.5, while Laura Collett and London 52 sit in second in the individual competition, just 0.5 behind the leader.

All to play for tomorrow.#Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/dUNIjdrGpQ

— Team GB (@TeamGB) July 28, 2024

It was a brilliant race and it looked like Peaty was going to do it but it is Italian Nicolo Martinenghi who wins the gold medal. Peaty takes joint-silver alongside Nick Fink of the USA. It all came down to the touch and the Italian gets it. Just two hundredths of a second separate the three fastest men in that final. Martinenghi won in a time of 59.03 with Peaty and Fink at 59.05. For more reaction to Peaty’s silver, you can follow our dedicated live blog here.

So so close.

It's silver for Adam Peaty in the men's 100m breaststroke 🥈#Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/lAdqFBKFo0

— Team GB (@TeamGB) July 28, 2024

Here we go, can Adam Peaty win a third straight Olympic gold in the Men’s 100m Breaststroke?

Inside the final two minutes, GB’s men have equalised. They were putting huge pressure on South Africa and finally got their reward as Rupert Shipperley scored from a short corner. The game has just finished and it ends all square. GB won their first game this morning 4-0 against Spain and now have a draw in their second match.

With just seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, GB have conceded against South Africa and now trail 2-1.

GB’s Angharad Evans finishes fourth in the second semi-final and she is through into the final. She was lagging behind at the turn but a great second 50 has secured her place in the final. She is sixth fastest across the two semi-finals. South African Tatjana Smith is the fastest into the final.

GB’s men have levelled it against South Africa through Phillip Roper. 1-1.

Not done yet.#Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/IioJdmhhmU

— Team GB (@TeamGB) July 28, 2024

The GB team are back under way in the second half and trail South Africa 1-0.

In the Men’s 200m Freestyle semi-finals both Brits, Duncan Scott and Matt Richards, are through to the final. Richards finished fourth in the first semi-final and goes through seventh fastest whereas Scott came second in the second semi-final, going through as the second fastest into the final.

Duncan Scott and Matt Richards are both safely through to the men's 200m freestyle final 🤝

We'll see them back in the pool tomorrow evening. #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/qoO9ymloiy

— Team GB (@TeamGB) July 28, 2024

Never in doubt 😉

Dan Evans and Andy Murray save five match points to progress in the men's doubles!#Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/SJQgVHeOeU

— Team GB (@TeamGB) July 28, 2024

Agonising.

A gutsy swim, but Max Litchfield misses out on a podium place in the men's 400m individual medley by 0.19 second. #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/OCwl6fkZAM

— Team GB (@TeamGB) July 28, 2024

How have they done that? They were down and out so many times but Andy Murray and Dan Evans are through. Murray’s career lives to fight another day. At least one more game of Murray to come. A second win of the day for Evans after winning in the singles earlier.

Nishikori’s return is long and after saving five match points, GB now have a match point of their own.

Evans’ fantastic shot means it is now 9-9. What a fightback.

Numerous match points have passed Japan by and now it is 9-8. That is what pressure does. Serve is now with GB.

He comes so close to landing the winning point but GB take the point. Japan still lead 9-6 and it is another match point.

Not yet. Japan 9-5.

Murray and Evans are in real trouble. Japan now lead 9-4 and are just one point away from victory. Is this the last point we will ever see from Andy Murray?

Nishikori and Daniel take a 5-3 lead and are on serve.

It is 3-3 in this deciding tie-break. Murray is on serve.

GB have three set points but Japan win the next two points. Evans to serve and GB win the second set. We go to a 10-point match tie-break to decide the match. Instead of a traditional set, it is a race effectively to 10 points.

Murray and Evans are on the verge of the second set, just one point away.

Murray and Evans win three straight points to take a 3-2 lead.

Murray’s return from Nishikori’s second serve goes just out and we will have a tie-break. First to seven wins.

In the pool this evening Adam Peaty is aiming for his third consecutive Olympic gold in the 100m Breaststroke. You can follow all the action from the swimming with our dedicated blog here, and we will also be following the action.

That’s the first time Murray has held serve since the first game of the match, and he celebrates with a big “Let’s go”. Bear in mind that if the British pair can somehow snatch this set, there will be a first-to-10-point super tie-break to decide the result, not a deciding set.

That is exactly what Murray and Evans needed getting a crucial break to bring it back to 4-4. Murray, who has been poor on serve, needs to find some form on his serve here.

GB have just suffered a heavy defeat to Australia, losing 36-5. How that game changed from GB taking the lead in the first couple of minutes to a chastening loss. Two games in and it is one win and one defeat for the GB women.

One win, one defeat ✅❌

South Africa tomorrow to complete Pool B.

Our women's rugby sevens campaign is underway!#Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/YWUwEyiKMG

— Team GB (@TeamGB) July 28, 2024

They hold serve and now lead 4-2 in this second set. Murray and Evans are in real trouble here.

Over at the Stade de France, it has been all Australia since GB scored the opening try. Australia have scored three unanswered tries to lead 19-5 at the break.

Just as GB started to get momentum, Murray is broken for the third time today and Japan lead 3-2 in this second set, with their serve to come.

They were two games down in the second set but they have broken back to bring it back to 2-2.

A welcome fillip for the Brits as they break back on the Nishikori serve, moving to 2-2 in set two. Some acknowledgement from the fans, but the ongoing flatness of this atmosphere is onlybeing underlined by the wild French roars and chants that are floating over from the adjoiningcourts. I can’t quite tell whether they’re for Clara Burel on Court Six, Varvara Gracheva on Court Seven, or both.

Team GB are in action in their second game of the day after beating Ireland earlier today. They have just begun their game against Australia, who have just seen a player receive a yellow card. GB have punished them by scoring the first try of the game through Heather Cowell.

A first acknowledgement from the crowd there that they are watching a match with a subtext. Some of the British fans tried to get behind Murray and give him a boost, but that’s still a seventh straight game for the Japanese pair. The stands are maybe 40 per cent full, if that.

Plenty of support for the USA:

Not a good start for Andy Murray and Dan Evans as they lose the first set 6-2 after just 30 minutes of play. Murray will not want this next set to be the last he plays in his career.

A doubles match can get away from you quickly, so short do the points tendto be, and that’s what happening to the British pairing. Only 30 minutes for the Japanese to tie up a dominant first set. They’ve been on it. By contrast, Evans and Murray were barely present. Huge improvement required if they are to eke out another 24 hours of Murray’s career.

Japan have a break point on Dan Evans’ serve but GB to take it to deuce and then go on to win the game.

Somewhat low-key beginning to this match in front of a half-empty stadium. Most of the fans went for a toilet break after watching French favourite Gael Monfils lose in the previous match, so the whole occasion feels rather lacking in atmosphere. But it’s early, and could yet boil up.

And Murray and Evans hold to 30. Good enough start.

What a difference three years makes 🥰#Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/zVz2UCGJXS

— Team GB (@TeamGB) July 28, 2024

Dramatic scenes! The defending champion Ricarda Funk hits a gate towards the end of her run which means she is out of contention completely with the time penalty. That means Kimberley Woods takes the bronze medal, Team GB’s third medal of the Games so far. Jess Fox takes gold and Klaudia Zwolinska silver.

Zwolinska sets the second fastest time, which means Kimberley Woods is down into third with the defending champion Ricarda Funk the last to come.

She lost a little bit of time through the final few gates and comes home in second in a time of 98.94, just under three seconds behind Jess Fox. Woods is delighted though as she came across the line. That time is a second quicker than she went in qualifying for the final. That shows how good a time Fox’s was. Two competitors remain in Zwolinska and Funk. If Zwolinska is slower than Woods then the Brit is guaranteed a bronze medal at least.

She is up on Fox through the first time-check and just through the second. Can she complete the job?

Here comes GB’s Kimberley Woods. She came into this final third fastest but she has a job on her hands usurping Jessica Fox, who has set a fantastic time to lead. Ana Satila of Brazil is second with Italy’s Stefanie Horn third.

Rafael Nadal nails one of his favourite shots - a forehand up the line - to conclude a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 win over Marton Fucsovics. Some brilliant points in there, but also a sleepy patch early in the second set. He hits a few loose balls into the stands to celebrate. Djokovic to come in round two!

That is a clinical run from Jess Fox, who has shown there why she is ranked number one. She goes fastest by more than five seconds. Seven more to come, including France’s Camille Prigent who is up next.

In the women’s kayak singles final we have had four of the 12 competitors complete their runs with Slovenia’s Eva Tercelj currently in the lead. They are going off in the order they qualified with Australia’s Jess Fox, who is ranked number one in the world, going off next.

Incredible scenes as South Korea have beaten China after a three arrow shoot-off. The margins of victory were so fine but it is South Korea who take the gold medal after they are closest to the target. There was a short delay as the officials checked and confirmed it was South Korea. Plenty of tears from their trio as they claim victory in an incredible match.

Corinna Kuhnle of Austria, who was the slowest qualifier for the final, has just completed her run in a time of 103.09, which includes four penalty seconds. Remember GB’s Kimberley Woods is out third from last.

No medal for Team GB but a noble effort from Evie Richards, who only returned from concussion just five weeks ago.

Inspiring the next generation! 🥰

Evie Richards finished 5th in the mountain bike cross-country, then waited for her 19-year-old teammate Ella MacLean-Howell racing in her first Olympics!

It's the first time we have had two riders in the women's cross-country since Sydney 2000!… pic.twitter.com/Fj4sPUBscS

— Team GB (@TeamGB) July 28, 2024

Rafael Nadal has been taken into a third set by Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics, who has won the second set 6-4 after Nadal took the first set 6-1. Into a deciding set they go at Roland Garros.

Spinetingling moment at Roland Garros as Rafael Nadal battled his way through a lung-bursting rally that left his opponent Marton Fucsovics doubled over in exhaustion, then roared and performed one of his haymaker punches ofcelebration. Every soul in this packed 15,000-seat arena chanted “Rafa, Rafa”. WithNadalleading by a set but trailing in the second, theremaynot be too many more memories like this to savour.

A special guest enjoying our *Maverick* artistic gymnastics today! 😉#Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/iMMdywtl3h

— Team GB (@TeamGB) July 28, 2024

Unfortunately Great Britain’s hopes of a medal in the women’s singles is over at the first hurdle as Katie Boulterhas been knocked out in the first round. She was beaten 6-4 6-2 by Slovakia’s Anna Karolina Schmiedlova. More disappointment for Team GB after Cameron Norrie withdrew earlier today with a “mystery injury”, but Dan Evans has just booked his place in the second round.

Just grabbed a few words with a tearful David Lappartient. The UCI president had just given Ferrand-Prevot a pre-podium hug. He described her achievement as a “beautiful moment” for France and said the amazing atmosphere (the crowds are still going berserk, much as they did at the Stade de France last night) vindicated the decision to hold the event in the Paris environs. Tom Pidco*ck - who is favourite for the men’s event tomorrow - had criticised the course as “bland” and “not really mountain bike”.

Surely one of these blokes has an unfair advantage on the water? #Olympics2024 pic.twitter.com/Frl0z2fchf

— Danny McGinlay (@dannymcginlay) July 28, 2024

Great Britain have been in action this afternoon against Ireland and they have won 21-12 to secure victory in their opening game of Group B. Tries from Emma Uren, Jasmine Joyce and Isla-Norman Bell led GB to the win. Their second game will take place in just over three hours against Australia at 6.30pm (BST).

Wonderful scenes as Pauline Ferrand-Prevot adds the Olympic MTB cross country title to her already glittering palmares. The French favourite has already won the world title five times, plus world titles in cyclocross, gravel, road and marathon mountain bike. It’s France’s second gold of the Games and also, incidentally, the biggest win of Ineos Grenadiers’ season, the British team having signed Ferrand-Prevot a couple of years ago with the express intention of helping her to Olympic gold on home soil. Richards finishes fifth, an improvement of two places on her Tokyo finish. Batten pips Rissveds to second and silver.

Raucous fans sing La Marseillaise as home favourite Pauline Ferrand-Prevot crosses the line for the penultimate time. With one lap remaining, her lead is up to 3min17sec over the American and the Swede who are locked in a great battle for second. Ferrand-Prevot could probably stop and walk her bike to the finish if she suffered a mechanicalnow. Richards is fifth at 3min36sec, still 20sec off that duo fighting for silver. If she has anything left in the tank, this is the time to use it.

Don’t know whether Evie Richards is superstitious (she’s wearing 13) but she has had a bit of luck here. She has been dropped by the group she was with but she is actually closer to the podium than she was if that makes sense. That’s because Loana Lecomte, who had been riding third, is now out of the race following a crash. And Puck Pieterse, who had been second, has had a mechanical and dropped to seventh. With two 4.4km laps remaining, Ferrand-Prevot’s monstrous lead is up to 2min50sec over the American Haley Batten and the Swedish rider Alessandra Keller. Richards is 6th, 20sec off a podium.

Some flutters here for British tennis fans as Dan Evans falls and grazes his knee and elbow. Now taking a medical timeout for running repairs. Andy Murray probably watching on anxiously ahead of their scheduled doubles match later.

Great Britain’s women have suffered defeat at the hands of Spain in hockey. The game was very much top loaded with all three goals scored in the opening 10 minutes. Laura Barrios slotted home for Spain after just four minutes but Giselle Asley responded immediately for Team GB. Lola Riera knocked in the winner for the Spaniards in the ninth minute, and that was that.

Argentina, Australia and Spain have all recorded wins in Pool B. Team GB will have a shot at redemption when they face Australia at 4pm UK time tomorrow.

British number one Jack Draper needed little more than 25 minutes to win the first set 6-1 against Kei Nishikori of Japan. Dan Evans, however, has been on the ropes in the second set against Tunisia’s Moez Echargui but has saved six break points and leads 3-2.

Ferrand-Prevot is absolutely annihilating the opposition here. The French favourite has opened up a big lead after two of seven laps, much to the crowds’ delight. Evie Richards currently in a group of five riders a few seconds behind the top three, who are themselves separated.

The Dutch Olympic team have explicitly admitted that they are shielding Steven van de Velde, the beach volleyball player who made his Games debut here on Sunday despite being convicted of raping a 12-year-old British girl when he was 19, from talking publicly about his past.

“We are protecting a convicted child rapist, yes,” said press attache John van Vliet after Van de Velde was allowed to swerve media duties after the event. “To do his sport as best as possible, at a tournament he qualified for.”

A packed, largely British stand at Roland Garros, baking in the sun and watching Dan Evans lead African Games champion Moez Echargui of Tunisia by a 4-2 first-set margin. It simply doesn’t get this hot here during the French Open and the conditions are very lively.

That opening ceremony looked like a sign of things to come but it is finally looking up as the sun shows itself over the French capital. Temperatures at the moment are at around 27 degrees celsius.

Biles leads the all-round table, flying to the top with a combined score of 59.666 after her strong qualifying showing. She’s serenely made it through all four of her routines and after initial concern about the strapping on her ankle, looks on form. She’s back with a bang. Another small wave to the crowd as team USA leave the arena.

Dan Evans is just preparing to take to the court at Roland Garros, where he will be the first Briton to feature in this year’s Olympic tennis event. But Cameron Norrie has announced his withdrawal, citing an (as yet unidentified) injury.

It’s as if Simone Biles is finally allowing herself to enjoy it out there now. So far today she’s kept a steely focus, but after executing a near-perfect performance on the uneven bars she walks off and she waves enthusiastically to the crowd, who go into complete meltdown.

Biles has some heavy strapping on her ankle - it looks like she might have aggravated a niggle after that floor routine which would explain the reason for her pause at the side of the floor afterwards. If she isn’t 100 per cent then she’s concealing it very well.. because she’s just landed a Biles II, the signature move she first performed at last year’s World Championships. The move is a Yurchenko-style vault with two flips in a pike position and with a difficulty rating of 6.4, is notoriously hard to pull off cleanly. But Biles nails it.

Outright favourites for rowing gold, Team GB have cruise through to the final of the women’s four that includes Helen Glover, Rebecca Shorten and debutants Esme Booth and Sam Redgrave. They will be joined in the final by New Zealand. China, USA and Denmark will be involved in the repechage.

Even though Simone Biles’ floor routine seemed to prove there was little to worry about in terms of injury, a strapped foot and an emotional end to her latest display might have the rumour mill turning. Is she actually A OK?

Another compelling performance from Biles, this time on the floor, as she lights up the Bercy Arena again with a display of acrobatic mastery which features a triple twisting double back somersault. After finishing, she sits down on the edge of the floor and appears to take a moment before walking over to her teammates. She looks fairly emotional as she’s embraced by Cecile Landi, the US team coach.

The crowd went 𝑪𝑹𝑨𝒁𝒀! 🤩🇫🇷

Antoine Dupont led a French triumph as they sang La Marseillaise to celebrate becoming Olympic rugby sevens champions! 🥇#Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/CEsGBvxjLz

— Eurosport (@eurosport) July 28, 2024

Simone Biles whips off her jacket and makes her way over to the beam - the last apparatus on which she secured an emotional bronze in Tokyo when she came back from the ‘twisties’. She sits down on the edge of the boarding awaiting teammate’s Sunisa Lee’s score. Silence falls as she gets the all-clear. She produces a composed, clean performance as Teddy Swim’s number - ‘Lose Control’ - plays out around the arena. It’s a totally controlled display from the world’s most decorated gymnast, who lands every one of her spins and twists with laser precision. A big smile to conclude the routine, in which she scores 14.733. And breathe. That was spectacular.

The Bercy Arena erupts as Team USA - and Simone Biles - walk out. She’s the last of her five teammates to remove her tracksuit top as the team begins warming up on the beam in their glittering dark leotards. She waves to the crowd and smiles. It’s been three years since her trauma from Tokyo - where she suffered from the ‘twisties’ and withdrew from multiple finals. But she’s looking very relaxed. It’s so great to see her back.

Number one seeds from China, Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang, have defeated Team GBs Ben Lane and Sean Vendy, meaning the Britons fail to qualify. The Chinese pair won 21-18 13-21 21-14.

Defeat for the Dutch pair, who lose 15-13 in the deciding set to Italy, 15 places below them in the world rankings. Not an unpopular result here at the Eiffel Tower Stadium, it has to be said. An Olympic atmosphere like no other. The expectation now is that Van de Velde will be spirited away by the Dutch delegation without speaking to the media.

Great Britain have lost to Germany and they are out while the Germans move swiftly into the quarter-finals. Germany will now face Mexico. The other games are South Korea v Taiwan, China v Indonesia and India v Netherlands. Those quarter-finals start today at 1.15pm BST.

The Netherlands have drawn level in the contest, taking the second set 21-19 against Italy. Amid the opprobrium, there are isolated pockets of support for Van de Velde, with clusters of fans in bright Dutch orange. There is no disguising how provocative his involvement in these Games is, however. Anna Meares, chef de mission of the Australian team, has said: “If an athlete or a staff member had that conviction, they wouldn’t be allowed to be a member of that team.”

Great Britain have got the job done. They pip Romania to top spot and qualify for the team final after finishing strongly on the floor. Becky Downie tops the uneven bars table after her brilliant individual performance, while Georgia Mae-Fenton, Alice Kinsella and Ruby Evans occupy third, fourth and fifth respectively in the all-round results.The British group break out into a celebratory dance down by the mats before leaving the arena. Smiles all round. Next up, the second subdivision featuring... Simone Biles.

The Netherlands duo have found their way back into the contest in beach volleyball. Van de Velde and Immers won the second set but are currently 9-6 down in the third. More updates to come.

You wonder if the hostility of the crowd has interrupted Van de Velde’s focus. He and partner Matthew Immers lost five straight points to relinquishthe opening set 22-20 against the Italian duo of Adrian Carumbula and Alex Rangheri. Spectators appear overwhelmingly against the Dutch, booing wheneverVan de Velde’s name is mentioned. Do not expect the Dutchman to speak afterwards. His team insist he will not be performing any media duties. While this is a breach of standard Olympic procedures, the International Olympic Committee insist they have no control over the matter. An IOC spokesperson said of the furore of a convicted child rapist competing at the Games that there is “extra safeguarding in place”.

After two shaky performances from Alice Kinsella and Georgia-Mae Fenton on the uneven bars, it’s been a strong start for Britain’s Becky Downie on her best apparatus. She looks on the money to make the final after scoring 14.666, with a difficulty of 6.6 and was the epitome of calm during that routine. The 32-year-old has shown huge resilience to make it to Paris after suffering the loss of her brother Josh, while her sister Ellie, one of a number of high-profile gymnasts who spoke out about the culture of abuse in the sport, retired.

A sensational save from Hungary’s Blanka Böde-Bíró and some heroic defending was only the beginning of the late drama. After a tactical time out, Hungary drove down the other end against Brazil, who led for most of the contest, and score to win it with five seconds to go. Hungary take it 25-24. Wow!

Spain’s Liliana Fernandez Steiner and Paula Soria Gutierrez have beaten Valentina Gottardi and Marta Menegatti of Italy 2-1 in their Pool A match.

Other Pool A contenders, Brazil and Egypt, face each other at 3pm BST today.

Steven Van de Velde has emerged on to the court. There was significant booing for his arrival. How will he cope with this type of atmosphere? His playing partner has been steadfastly loyal, at least in public. Matthew Immers, 23, has even described Van de Velde as being like a “second father” to him.

A stunning view here in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, but the bleakest of storylines. We are awaiting the introduction of Steven Van de Velde, the Dutch beach volleyball player and also a convicted child rapist. The 29-year-old was sentenced to four years in prison for raping a 12-year-old British girl when he was 19. The Dutch Olympic Committee and volleyball federation have insisted that he has completed their path of rehabilitation and seem bewildered by the outrage Van de Velde’s presence has unleashed.

There is surely a stark difference, though, between being reintegrated into society and anointed as an Olympian. All athletes in Paris have to sign a declaration pledging to be a “role model”. And Van de Velde is very far removed from most people’s definition of a role model.

With seven Olympic medals to her name, Biles is tied with Shannon Miller for the most Olympic medals earned by a U.S. gymnast. She is predicted, yet again, to be one of the faces of the Paris 2024 Olympics. Biles will step up to the plate at 10.40am, making her first appearance in the team qualifying events. She will feature alongside USA teammates Jordan Chiles, Hezly Rivera and Sunisa Lee in Subdivision 2.

Athletes from Turkey, Philippines, Vietnam, Paraguay, Iran and Peru are through to the quarter-finals after three repecharge races. The men are currently in action n the single sculls repecharges.

Valentina Gottardi and Marta Menegatti of Italy are tied in sets with Spain’s Liliana Fernandez Steiner and Paula Soria Gutierrez. Spain currently lead 9-8 in the third set.

Look at this sensational picture from Hector Vivas. If there were gold medals for photography he’s be sitting atop the podium for this one.

Early contender for best photo of the games. 📸 pic.twitter.com/AaiJsOtD8w

— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) July 28, 2024

The badminton is under way on Day 2, with beach volleyball, handball, rowing, shooting, and volleyball following at 9am local time. Archery, gymnastics, and fencing at 9.30am.