Liam Broady and Samantha Murray fall just short of Wimbledon singles qualification after battling performances

27 June 2019

Team Bath Tennis duo Liam Broady and Samantha Murray both produced battling displays in the final round of Wimbledon 2019 qualifying on Thursday but fell just short of securing their places in the singles draw.

Broady, coached by David Sammel, played some fantastic tennis to win the first set 6-3 against number 12 seed Gregoire Barrere and then rattled through a stunning second set without conceding a game.

That would have been enough to secure victory in the previous qualifying rounds but, as this was the last hurdle before Wimbledon, it was the best of five and Barrere got back into the contest by taking the third set 6-2.

The Frenchman then broke early in the fourth but Broady responded brilliantly to cancel it out, only for Barrere to break again in the final game of the set to take it 6-4.

Broady kept battling away through the last set but Barrare was able to complete his comeback, wrapping up a 3-6 0-6 6-2 6-4 6-3 victory after two-and-a-half hours.

Defeat was tough on Broady but he has the consolation of a wildcard place in the men’s doubles at Wimbledon, partnering former Team Bath player Scott Clayton.

Murray produced an equally spirited display later that afternoon in her third-round match against Paula Badosa of Spain, the number 22 seed.

The Team Bath player was broken in the last game of a tight first set, which Badrosa took 6-4, but responded superbly as she immediately broke twice at the start of a second set that she went on to win 6-2.

Badrosa broke in the fourth game of the final set to regain the initiative but Murray continued to dig deep and saved two match points on her serve before her opponent eventually clinched a 6-4 2-6 6-3 victory.

Despite the setbacks, both Murray and Broady can take many positives from their performances this week.

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