Andy Murray has continued his impressive comeback from a hip injury, reaching the semi-final of the European Open in Antwerp.
The victory over Romania's Marius Copil means that Murray is through to his first ATP-level semifinal since the 2017 French Open.
Murray defeated Copil 6-3, 6-7(7) 6-4 in an encounter that lasted for two hours and 36 minutes.
He will face either fifth-seed Guido Pella or Ugo Humbert in his next match.
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For Murray, it has been a long road back from an injury that looked like he would have to call time on his illustrious career.
The three-time Grand Slam singles winner was expected to retire from tennis before Wimbledon this year.
He underwent hip surgery in January and it was uncertain whether he would be able to play professional tennis again.
But gradually, Murray is enjoying his tennis again and is beginning to look more free on the tennis court.
His win over Copil featured a number of breath-taking shots, including this fantastic serve out wide to close out the match.
¡A la semifinal!
— ATP Tour en Español (@ATPTour_ES) October 18, 2019
🇬🇧 @andy_murray supera una gran batalla ante Copil 6-3, 6-7(7), 6-4 para colarse entre los 4️⃣ mejores del @EuroTennisOpen.
📺 Sigue el #EuropeanOpen2019 en directo en @TennisTV
pic.twitter.com/RnZRY1MHjn
The win means that Murray is the lowest-ranked player to make a semi-final in the history of the European Open.
Murray, currently ranked No. 243 in the world, is expected to see a significant rise in his rank after this week in Antwerp.
Regardless of his ranking, Murray has been guaranteed a wildcard at the 2020 Australian Open, a tournament many thought would be his last this year.
