Andy Murray survives Oscar Otte scare to reach Wimbledon Third Round

Andy Murray survived a scare as he came from behind to beat Oscar Otte in an epic five-setter and book his place in the third round of Wimbledon 2021 on Wednesday.

The two-time champion recovered from 2-1 down to force a deciding set, which he dominated to scrape over the line in just under four hours 6-3 4-6 4-6 6-4 6-2.

Murray took early control against the world number 151, who needed a tie-break decider to see off Arthur Rinderknech in thrilling first-round encounter, as he took the opening set 6-3.

The 34-year-old appeared on course to double his lead at 3-1 up in the second.

However, Otte hit back with a vengeance; reeling off four successive games on the way to levelling matters.

The German built on that momentum in the next; breaking in game seven as he turned the match on its head.

Needing a response, Murray dug deep in the fourth set as he broke in game seven on the way to setting up a decider.

Inspired by the raucous home crowd, the former world number one claimed a crucial break in the second game that put him in command.

And the Scotsman sealed the deal with a trademark lob setting up a third-round clash with 10th seed Denis Shapovalov, who received a bye following the withdrawal of Pablo Andujar.

There was further British joy as Dan Evans saw off Dusan Lajovic in straight sets, while Cameron Norrie came from behind to defeat Lucas Pouille 6-7 7-5 6-2 7-5.

Meanwhile, Katie Boulter put up a wonderful fight against second seed Aryna Sabalenka, who required a deciding set to prevail 4-6 6-3 6-3.

Reigning champion Novak Djokovic maintained his 100 per cent record against Kevin Anderson at Wimbledon.

The top seed made just six unforced errors as he claimed a fourth victory over the South African at SW19, advancing in straight sets 6-3 6-3 6-3.

Fifth seed Andrey Rublev also prevailed in straight sets against Lloyd Harris, as did 2017 finalist Marin Cilic against Salvatore Caruso.

Elsewhere, big-serving Matteo Berrettini hit 20 aces and 47 winners as he overcame Guido Pella 6-4 3-6 6-4 6-0, while ninth seed Diego Schwartzman came from behind to see off Liam Broady in four sets.

Over in the ladies’ draw, Iga Swiatek and Victoria Azarenka prevailed in straight sets against Vera Zvonareva and Kateryna Kozlova respectively, as did Karolina Pliskova against Donna Vekic.

Garbine Muguruza beat Lesley Pattinama Kerkhove 6-1 6-4 and third seed Elina Svitolina – a semi-finalist here two years ago – overcame Alison Van Uytvanck 6-3 2-6 6-3.

However, fourth and fifth seeds Sofia Kenin and Bianca Andreescu were ousted in straight sets by Madison Brengle and Alize Cornet respectively.

Eighth seed Pablo Carreno Busta was also among the big-named casualties on day three; the Spaniard succumbing 6-7 4-6 5-7 to former semi-finalist Sam Querrey.

He was followed out the exit door by 12th seed Casper Ruud, who went down in five sets despite recovering from two down to force a decider against Jordan Thompson.

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Wimbledon 2021 Day Three Results

Wednesday June 30

First Round / Second Round

CENTRE COURT
Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 Kevin Anderson
Katie Boulter 6-4, 3-6, 3-6 Aryna Sabalenka
Oscar Otte 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 2-6 Andy Murray

NO.1 COURT
Nick Kyrgios 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 9-7 Ugo Humbert
Elina Svitolina 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 Alison Van Uytvanck
Dan Evans 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 Dusan Lajovic
Ons Jabeur 7-5, 6-0 Venus Williams

NO.2 COURT
Alize Cornet 6-2, 6-1 Bianca Andreescu
Lucas Pouille 7-6, 5-7, 2-6, 5-7 Cameron Norrie
Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 Thiago Monteiro
Iga Swiatek 6-1, 6-3 Vera Zvonareva
Madison Brengle 6-2, 6-4 Sofia Kenin

NO.3 COURT
Matteo Berrettini 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, 6-0 Guido Pella
Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 3-6, 4-6, 4-6 Grigor Dimitrov
Belinda Bencic 3-6, 3-6 Kaja Juvan
Lesley Pattinama Kerkhove 1-6, 4-6 Garbine Muguruza

COURT 12
Jordan Thompson 7-6, 7-6, 2-6, 2-6, 6-2 Casper Ruud
Christopher O’Connell 6-4, 2-6, 6-7, 6-4, 4-6 Gael Monfils
Victoria Azarenka 6-1, 6-3 Kateryna Kozlova
Diego Schwartzman 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 Liam Broady
Kristie Ahn 5-7, 3-6 Sloane Stephens

COURT 18
Yoshihito Nishioka 7-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-7, 6-4 John Isner
Marin Cilic 7-6, 7-6, 6-1 Salvatore Caruso
Emma Raducanu 7-6, 6-0 Vitalia Diatchenko
Lloyd Harris 1-6, 2-6, 5-7 Andrey Rublev
Karolina Pliskova 6-2, 6-2 Donna Vekic

COURT 4
Magda Linette 2-6, 6-3, 6-1 Amanda Anisimova
Cristian Garin 6-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 Bernabe Zapata Miralles
Lorenzo Sonego 6-2, 7-5, 6-0 Pedro Sousa
Andreas Seppi 2-6, 4-6, 2-6 Denis Kudla
Nadia Podoroska 3-6, 6-7 Tereza Martincova

COURT 5
Kristyna Pliskova 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 Danka Kovinic
Daniel Elahi Galan 6-4, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 Federico Coria
Ellen Perez 2-6, 2-6 Clara Burel
Frances Tiafoe 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 Vasek Pospisil

COURT 6
Jil Teichmann 2-6, 2-6 Camila Giorgi
Yasutaka Uchiyama 3-6, 7-6, 2-6, 6-3, 3-6 Carlos Alcaraz
Leylah Fernandez 1-6, 2-6 Jelena Ostapenko
Antoine Hoang 5-7, 4-6, 4-6 Sebastian Korda

COURT 7
Botic Van De Zandschulp 6-2, 6-7, 6-1, 7-6 Gregoire Barrere
Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 Ana Konjuh
Mikhail Kukushkin 4-6, 2-6, 1-6 Alexander Bublik
Irina-Camelia Begu 7-5, 6-7, 6-3 Petra Martic

COURT 8
Aliona Bolsova 2-6, 7-5, 2-6 Paula Badosa
James Duckworth 6-4, 6-4, 6-1 Radu Albot
Katerina Siniakova 6-1, 6-0 Yafan Wang
Egor Gerasimov 1-6, 6-7, 3-6 Karen Khachanov
Viktorija Golubic 6-2, 6-0 Danielle Collins

COURT 9
Corentin Moutet 4-6, 4-6, 0-6 Aljaz Bedene
Greet Minnen 2-6, 6-7 Ajla Tomljanovic
Olga Govortsova 4-6, 2-6 Coco Vandeweghe
Jiri Vesely 3-6, 4-5 (Ret) Marton Fucsovics

COURT 10
Lesia Tsurenko 3-6, 1-6 Yulia Putintseva
Emil Ruusuvuori 4-6, 6-2, 2-6, 6-0, 4-6 Marcos Giron
Marco Trungelliti 1-6, 6-1, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6 Benjamin Bonzi
Ekaterina Alexandrova 5-7, 2-6 Maria Camila Osorio Serrano

COURT 11
Jaume Munar 1-6, 5-7, 6-7 Ilya Ivashka
Anastasija Sevastova 6-4, 6-1 Zarina Diyas
Daria Kasatkina 6-0, 3-6, 6-3 Patricia Maria Tig
Fabio Fognini 6-3, 6-4, 0-6, 6-4 Laslo Djere

COURT 14
Ana Bogdan 2-6, 2-6 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 5-7, 7-6, 7-5, 4-6, 3-6 Mikael Ymer
Steve Johnson 7-6, 6-2, 7-5 Dennis Novak
Lauren Davis 1-6, 4-6 Madison Keys
Dominik Koepfer 6-3, 6-7, 7-6, 5-7, 6-3 Soonwoo Kwon

COURT 15
Aslan Karatsev 6-7, 6-7, 3-6 Jeremy Chardy
Nao Hibino 6-1, 5-7, 6-3 Bernarda Pera
Marketa Vondrousova 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 Anett Kontaveit
Claire Liu 4-6, 4-6 Elena Rybakina
Miomir Kecmanovic 3-6, 3-6, 7-6, 2-3 Roberto Bautista Agut – play suspended

COURT 16
Karolina Muchova 6-3, 6-3 Shuai Zhang
Sam Querrey 7-6, 6-4, 7-5 Pablo Carreno Busta
Taylor Fritz 7-5, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 Brandon Nakashima
Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-3, 3-6 Liudmila Samsonova
Maria Sakkari 5-7 Shelby Rogers – play suspended

COURT 17
Kei Nishikori 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 Alexei Popyrin
Juan Ignacio Londero 6-7, 0-6, 6-4, 3-6 Gianluca Mager
Sorana Cirstea 6-3, 6-3 Samantha Murray Sharan
Elise Mertens 6-2, 6-0 Lin Zhu
Denis Shapovalov w/o Pablo Andujar