Monday 24 June 2019 06:12, UK
Andy Murray celebrated an improbable immediate success on his comeback from career-saving hip surgery as he and Feliciano Lopez won the men's doubles at the Fever-Tree Championships.
Five months after he feared the Australian Open could be his final tournament, Murray and his Spanish partner defeated Britain's Joe Salisbury and American Rajeev Ram 7-6 (8-6) 5-7 10-5 in the final at Queen's Club.
Lopez had earlier won a gruelling singles final and, after a 40-minute break, returned to the court as he helped Murray claim his first doubles title since winning alongside his brother Jamie at the Japan Open in 2011.
"It's been brilliant and I've really enjoyed it," Murray told BBC Sport in his on-court interview.
"I felt really relaxed at the beginning of the week and as it's gone on I was getting more and more nervous as my competitive instincts were kicking in with each match.
"But my hip felt great and there's no pain and obviously I will try to keep progressing from here but I am just happy to be back out on the grass."
Serve largely dominated in the opening exchanges with Salisbury the only player to face a break point in the second game, but the 27-year-old Briton hit some aggressive returns to break the Murray serve five games later.
Salisbury had the chance to serve out for the first set but was broken as Murray's dipping forehand proved too hard to contend with on the second break point, which was also a set point, of the game.
The scratch partnership fell 5-1 down the tiebreak but recovered with aplomb to win seven of the last eight points of the tiebreak to win the first set.
The second set went with serve until Murray was broken decisively to ensure the match went the distance, something which British fans are accustomed to.
Despite the inevitable physical fatigue, Lopez produced a series of remarkable winners, including a forehand winner to bring up five match points.
Fittingly it was Murray who sealed victory on his serve as he celebrated a significant triumph on his comeback to the sport, while Lopez celebrated a personal double.
Murray, reflecting on Lopez's achievement, added: "He was brilliant, there's nothing else to say. It was an amazing win in the singles and at the end of the match here he came out with some amazing serves and returns and he did so good and I'm very happy for him."
It was the third victory against a recognised doubles partnership from Murray's four matches on his return to competitive action after undergoing hip resurfacing surgery in January.
The former world No 1 and three-time Grand Slam singles champion has now won six titles at Queen's, having won the singles on five occasions.
Murray will now head to Eastbourne where he will partner Brazilian Marcelo Melo, before playing alongside Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert, who has achieved the career Grand Slam of doubles titles, at Wimbledon.
