“An unprecedented adventure,” was how Andy Murray’s former coach Mark Petchey — commentating on Amazon Prime — described our experience of following his career. This was another of those glorious moments, as the greatest son of British tennis came back from a two-set deficit to defeat Yoshihito Nishioka in four hours and 38 minutes.

Murray clenched his fists and roared as he saluted his 4-6, 4-6, 7-6, 7-6, 6-4 victory, which he brought up with a magnificent forehand lob. It is hard to see how he will be able to drag himself back on to the court on Thursday. But never mind. This was the sort of win he must have been dreaming of when he forced himself through those endless hours of mind-numbing rehab, strengthening the muscles around his new metal hip.

After all the chat, all the build-up, his form during early stages had been highly concerning. Murray started the match with a lovely piece of artistry on the very first point. But it soon became clear he wasn’t operating at full power.

Normally, Murray’s feet are tap-tapping away all the time, ready to push him off in the appropriate direction. Even though he is one of the most fleet-footed members of the locker room — or was, anyway, when he had two organic hip joints — much of his uncanny speed stems from his almost telepathic anticipation and sheer intensity.

That intensity was completely absent here, however, as he loped around the court like a man playing a practice set. Why was Murray not fully present?

The silent stands must have played a part. But you wondered if there might not also be some anxiety in there. Playing his first Grand-Slam match for almost two years, against an opponent he knew would make him scramble across every inch of court, the sense of apprehension was palpable.

Murray dropped the first set and then lapsed into a fug of inactivity and confusion. At one point early in the second, he played the most uncharacteristically flat-footed drop shot, which dribbled into the net. Within a few minutes, he was 4-0 down — and though he fought back to make that second-set score look respectable, he was soon down a break in the third. Somehow, though, the old competitive juices began to stir. The feet slotted into position. That backhand of the ages found its mark a few times.

The moment when the real Murray arrived was perhaps the one when a Nishioka return pushed him so wide of the court that he slammed his forehand around the net rather than over it. Incredibly, Nishioka was playing so well that he still got the ball back and won the point. But from Murray’s perspective, when you start playing that sort of shot, you know your sights are back on the target.

Nothing was easy here. In order to draw level, Murray had to play two full-length sets, which he finally grasped on the tie-break with a fusillade of big serves and aggressive forehands.

The Daily Telegraph