Tennis Rio 2016: Andy Murray Struggles In Defeating Singles World Number 40 Fabio Fognini

A recent tennis Rio 2016 game was a scare for defending champion Andy Murray after he almost did not make the quarter finals in his game with world No. 40, Fabio Fognini of Italy. He, however, ended up winning, registering a 6-1 2-6 6-3 tennis Rio 2016 triumph over the younger Italian player.

It is a big bounce back for Team Great Britain's Rio Olympics 2016 flagbearer who, before competing in tennis Rio 2016 events, had lost eight consecutive games, BBC reported. On the same day, he and partner Heather Watson won against Spain's David Ferrer and Carla Suarez Navarro in the tennis Rio 2016 mixed doubles event with a score of 6-3 6-3. However, they lost to India's Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna in the tennis Rio 2016 mixed doubles quarter finals.

Murray then ended up defeating United States' Steve Johnson (world rank: 22) and giving him a ticket to the semi-finals, Tennis Magazine reported. He will be competing with Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro for the gold medal on Monday, August 15. If he wins the tennis Rio 2016 gold, he would become the first player in Olympic history to win back-to-back in the singles category.

The Rio Olympics 2016 has been a difficult time for the two other members of the men's tennis world top five players competing in the men's singles category after world no. 1, Croatia's Novak Djokovic, and world no. 5, Spain's Rafael Nadal, lost earlier to lesser-ranked players.

For more tennis Rio 2016 news, updates and schedules, check back as Parent Herald covers Rio Olympics 2016 until the closing ceremony on Sunday, August 21. Who do you think will end up as the champion of tennis Rio 2016? Will Murray be able to defeat world No. 1 Novak Djokovic ? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section. Meanwhile, watch an interview of Andy Murray in the video below.