Manic two minutes see Team GB win another gold and Andy Murray keep career alive as fans gush ‘love the Olympics’
TEAM GB fans experienced an incredible range of emotions in a crazy two-minutes of Olympics action on Tuesday night.
It came as drama played both on the tennis court and in the pool – at EXACTLY the same time.
Andy Murray and Dan Evans reached the quarter-finals of the men’s Olympic doubles in Paris with a sensational tie-breaker victory over Belgian duo Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen.
They sealed passage to the next round of the tournament – and kept retiring Murray’s career alive – with a 6-3, 6-7 (8-10), 11-9 win.
As Murray and Evans booked their spot in the third round, Team GB‘s swimmers smashed the 4x200m men’s relay race to win another gold for the nation.
Matt Richards, James Guy, Tom Dean and Duncan Scott turned in incredible swims to retain their title at the La Defense Arena, a feat which has taken Team GB’s gold haul to four medals.
Olympics fans – many of whom were watching both events simultaneously – couldn’t quite believe their eyes.
One over-the-moon Brit wrote on X: “A gold and a quarter-final for Murray and Evans. What television. Amazing.”
Another said: “Swimming GOLD for Team GB and Andy Murray’s career lives another day – all within two minutes of each other!”
And another said: “What a 10 mins of Olympic sport!
“[The] 4x200m men smashing the relay for gold and more Murray magic in the tennis with Evans.”
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One remarked: “Murray’s Olympic journey continues!!
“A gold in the 200m relay in the pool!! WHAT A NIGHT!!!”
Another chimed in: “Just two minutes between both of those events. Absolutely incredible.”
The drama on Tuesday night came after another fine day for Team GB in which Nathan Hales won shooting gold.
Tennis drama
Murray and Evans, 37 and 34 respectively, booked their quarter-final spot in the most dramatic of circumstances.
The pair sensationally saved not one but TWO match points in their Roland Garros rumble with the Belgians.
Their heroics came after Gille and Vliegen earned two match points in the championship tie break.
But on the second, Murray – who plans to retire after the tournament – forced an error with a beautiful return.
And it wasn’t long before the Scot – who has been blighted by injuries in recent years – blisteringly served out the match point.
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WHAT TO WATCH TODAY...
TODAY’S BRIT MEDAL HOPES
Freestyle BMX world and European champ Kieran Reilly will be aiming to add the Olympic title to his collection (12.40pm).
Team GB’s men and women will both be in contention in the rowing quadruple sculls finals (11.25am).
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Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix – daughter of First Dates star Fred – and Lois Toulson go in the 10m synchro diving final (10am).
In the hockey, Team GB’s women know a win against South Africa is vital after starting with defeats to Spain and Australia (9.30am).
Commonwealth bronze medallist Jemima Yeats-Brown begins her -70kg judo campaign, two years on from losing her sister Jenny to brain cancer (9.20am).
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The all-star USA men’s basketball team, featuring LeBron James and Steph Curry, face Olympic debutants South Sudan (8pm).
The 100m men’s freestyle final could be a classic with Tokyo champ Caeleb Dressel, new 200m gold medallist David Popovici plus Brits Duncan Scott and Matthew Richards all in contention (9.15pm).
And Jessica Fox could win her second gold of Paris 2024 if she defends her C1 canoe slalom from three years ago (4.25pm).
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The beach volleyball is always spectacular viewing at any Olympics but this year even more so – because it is being played at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.
There are matches all throughout the day from 8am to 9pm.
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Murray told the BBC: “Tonight we deserved to win, in the first round we were lucky – tonight if it had gone the other way it would have been unfortunate.
“We were playing well and had lots of chances.
“We played every point and come up with some great returns when we were down in the third set and we served it out really well.
“But we left it too close to comfort.
“It was way better than the first match, certainly from my side.
“There was nerves in the first match and I didn’t serve well at all.
“Today from my side I was much happier with how I served and we gave them few chances on the return.
“If we can serve that way and combine like that we will be tough to beat – obviously winning matches like that builds confidence.
“The opponents will see that as well, that we have been coming back and always there at the end – that helps.”
Murray and Evans will face either Team USA‘s Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul or Dutch duo Robin Haase and Jean-Julien Rojer in the last eight.
