Murray, still striving to regain the consistent elite form he once possessed, fell to No. 5 Tsitsipas, 7-6 (3), 6-7 (2), 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4, in a game close enough for Murray to beat his Greek opponent in overall points, 176-169.
“I’m obviously very disappointed at the moment,” he said at a press conference about 25 minutes after the game ended. “You never know how many chances you’ll get to play here.”
Murray’s gloomy mood was reflected all over the pitch on a difficult day for British players and their fans on Friday. 12th-seeded Cameron Norrie, Britain’s current No. 1 player, lost to unseeded American Chris Eubanks, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 7-6(3), at court No. 1 , and Liam Broady, the British No. 2, fell to Canadian Dennis Shapovalov, who won 4–6, 6–2, 7–5, 7–5.
But with Murray it’s different. For two decades, British tennis supporters watched as he turned the promise of his youth career into glory when in 2013, under intense pressure, he became the first British man in 77 years to win Wimbledon, Britain’s home tournament and tennis’ premier event. , won. tour. He did it again three years later, to add to the US Open title and Olympic gold medal he won in 2012, the latter also on Center Court.