Murray battles through despite back problem
Andy Murray of Britain returns the ball to Jarkko Nieminen of Finland during the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris May 31, 2012. – Reuters picPARIS, May 31 – World number four Andy Murray battled through back pain to win his second-round match at the French Open against Finn Jarkko Nieminen today.
The Briton, who at times in the first set looked like he would not be able to continue, won 1-6 6-4 6-1 6-2, and will face unseeded Colombian Santiago Giraldo in the third round.
Murray, a semi-finalist here last year, summoned the trainer three times during the opening set and lay on a towel, grimacing in pain, as his back was massaged.
Murray, who had to withdraw from the Madrid Masters this month with a back problem, opted to stand during changeovers but began to move more easily as the match progressed.
The 48th-ranked Nieminen, though, was unable to take advantage of Murray’s troubles and hit more unforced errors than the Scot in the later sets.
When he put a backhand out to give Murray breakpoint in the seventh game of the final set, Nieminen threw his racket to the clay and stamped on it. A double fault followed, and Murray went 5-2 up. – Reuters
