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Updated July 24th, 2021 at 13:44 IST

Tokyo Olympics 2020 Doubles: Murray, Salisbury upset French Open Champions Herbert & Mahut

Andy Murray and Joe Salisbury upset second-seeded Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicholas Mahut to get to the second round of the men's doubles at the Tokyo Olympics

Reported by: Prithvi Virmani
Tokyo Olympics
Image Credits: AP | Image:self
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Great Briain's Andy Murray and Joe Salisbury defeated the second-seeded Frenchmen Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicholas Mahut in the men's doubles event to land one of the first upsets of the Tokyo Olympics. The duo proved to be excellent as they won 6-3, 6-2 in just one hour 15 minutes at Tokyo's Ariake Tennis Park.

The unseeded duo was competing together for the first time and ended up not facing a single break point against the Frenchmen, who as a team have lifted trophies at all four of the Grand Slams. Murray and Salisbury won 42% of their receiving points on the way to the second round.

Murray and Salisbury face German pair Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz in the next round.

Well deserved winners according to Murray

"I think we have the potential to be a really good team," said Murray, who begins his singles campaign against Canadian ninth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime on Sunday.

"We were well-deserved winners today, we created lots of chances, but not every doubles match is like that. If we keep the same sort of attitude and everything, prepare diligently, I think we've got a chance of doing well."

Murray is a two-time singles gold medalist in the Olympics (London, Rio de Janeiro), and he also won the silver medal in mixed doubles alongside Laura Robson in London in 2012.

In other doubles action, Germans Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz advanced to the second round with a 6-2, 6-1 victory against Argentines Facundo Bagnis and Diego Schwartzman. Eighth-seeded Dutchmen Wesley Koolhof and Jean-Julien Rojer also defeated Belgians Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen 6-3, 7-6(5).

Tough return to tennis for Murray

Murray's return to tennis has been a difficult one having to still battle with injuries and loss of form. At the start of the year, he was supposed to take part at the Australian Open owing to a wildcard entry but he tested positive for COVID-19 and had to withdraw from the Grand Slam down under.

His first tournament of 2021 was the Open Sud de France where he lost in the first round. After that, he competed at the ABN Amro World Tournament in Rotterdam where he lost in the second round against Andrey Rublev in March.

Over the next three months, Murray avoided any tennising activity due to a groin injury. He avoided the French Open and decided to instead concentrate on the upcoming grass-court season. He returned to the court at the Queen's Club Championships where he defeated Benoit Paire in the first round but lost in the second to the 1st seed, Matteo Berrettini, in straight sets, and at Wimbledon, he made it to the third round but was knocked out by Denis Shapovalov.

(Image Credits: AP)

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Published July 24th, 2021 at 13:44 IST

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