September 15, (THEWILL) – British tennis star, Andy Murray, pulled off an emotional Davis Cup victory for his team against Switzerland’s Leandro Riedi on Friday, just hours after missing his grandmother’s funeral to compete.
The 36-year-old Murray battled for over three hours to defeat the 21-year-old Riedi, who was making his Davis Cup debut for Switzerland. After dropping the first set in a close tiebreaker, Murray found his form and clawed back to win the next two sets 6-4, 6-4.
Following the gruelling match, an emotional Murray revealed he had missed his grandmother’s funeral that same day in order to represent Britain. “Today is a tough day for me, it’s my Gran’s funeral today,” Murray said, apologising to his family. “Gran, this one’s for you.”
Murray’s epic win gave Britain a 1-0 lead over Switzerland in the Davis Cup tie being held in Manchester. His teammate Cameron Norrie can clinch the tie if he beats Swiss star Stan Wawrinka in the second singles match.
At 36, Murray showed his veteran poise and competitiveness against the rising Riedi. Despite Riedi’s blistering returns, Murray kept his focus and turned the match around. The victory displayed the veteran’s resolve to fight for his country, even through immense personal loss.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
