Lopez rules at Queen’s as Murray caps return in style

LONDON (Reuters): Spaniard Feliciano Lopez spent so much time on Queen’s Club’s centre court over a memorable weekend it would be no surprise if he had pitched a tent and slept there on Saturday night.

By the end of it the 37-year-old wildcard had completed one of the most remarkable weeks of his career by beating Gilles Simon in a gripping singles final, then helping British hero Andy Murray cap his return from injury with the doubles crown.A photo of Murray leaping for joy after he and Lopez completed a 7-6(6) 5-7 10-5 over Briton Joe Salisbury and American Rajeev Ram will grace the back pages.

But while the 32-year-old twice Wimbledon champion’s return from career-saving hip surgery five months ago is cause for celebration, the day belonged to elegant left-hander Lopez who bizarrely played in the last five matches of the tournament.With a ranking down at 113, only three Tour wins to his name all year and talk of retirement doing the rounds, the 2017 Queen’s champion needed a wildcard for the main singles draw.

His week had begun awkwardly too as he strenuously denied any wrongdoing in a doubles match in 2017 flagged up as potentially connected to match-fixing.But once the early-week rain stopped the grasscourt thoroughbred rolled back the years.Despite heavy legs after being on court from mid-afternoon until dusk on Saturday, he hung on to beat fellow veteran Gilles Simon of France 6-2 6-7(4) 7-6(2) in a high-quality final.

It was one of the oldest Queen’s finals but the two warriors served up a classic as they pushed each other to the limit.

Lopez wasted a match point in the 12th game of the contest but a sensational lunging backhand volley put him 5-2 ahead in the deciding tiebreak and he made no mistake the second time.