Andy Murray will bid to total a dramatic French Open fightback against Viktor Troicki on Tuesday. The Scot came from two sets and a smash down to tie the fourth-round match at 4-6 4-6 6-3 6-2 when play was called off because of gloom.
The world number four's participation seems in doubt because of an ankle wound and he lost the first five games before slowly turning things around. He lost the second set from a break up and then won the second from a break down before ending the twilight very much on top alongside the 15th seed from Serbia.
All eyes were on Murray's right ankle after he rolled it during the second set of his third-round win over Michael Berrer and finished the match virtually on one leg. The Scot had refuse to give any updates on his state in the 48 hours between matches but still looked very cautious with his movement in a gentle practice this lunchtime.
Berrer had made Murray's life easy by leasing his understanding for the fourth seed's plight affect his game but Troicki, who himself had been pain with food poisoning, was never likely to follow suit. The early signs were surely not good from the fourth seed's viewpoint as, barely able to run from side to side, he lost five games in a row.
The only query seem to be how long Murray would continue for but he avoided the dreaded bagel by retrieving one break of serve and slowly the impetus began to change. His dish up had more bite and he was having more achievement going for big shots. It was not enough to prevent Troicki captivating the first set - though he did have points for 5-5 - but there was expect where to start with there surely had not been.
Murray was still not touching as well as he can but spirited instinct seemed to have overridden any fear of actually difficult the ankle. Troicki had never taken a set off Murray in three preceding meetings but he has been a dissimilar player since helping Serbia win the Davis Cup last year. Murray needed two big serves to save break points in the third game of the second set, and two great forehands then gave the Scot a chance at 3-2, which he took with a third winner.
He right away gave the break back, though, netting a drop shot on Troicki's third break point, and he then missed two chances for a third successive game against the serve. Investment serve was proving very difficult for both men, and it was Troicki who gained a second break in quick succession when another Murray drop shot go wrong. That left the 15th seed serving for the set, and, even though a double-fault on his second set point betrayed nerves, he took it with a big serve.
Losing that set actually seemed to have disheartened Murray and his body language was anything but positive at the start of the third. Another break for Troicki in the third game appears to spell the beginning of the end but the fourth seed dug deep and responded in kind. Murray was looking much more like his usual self now and in the eighth game he upped his level determinedly, drumming a couple of beautiful slanting winners and then settle the break with a crunching forehand.