You should never write off Murray the magnificent

We have been spoiled rotten over the past couple of weeks with sport.

First, we had the exploits of the Scotland men's football team at Euro 2020, and now we have Andy Murray, our finest sportsperson, to follow as he navigates his way through another Wimbledon campaign.

If Monday evening's gripping four-sets win over Nikoloz Basilashvili wasn't enough for you, then Murray took it up another level with his five-set rollercoaster on Wednesday against Oscar Otte, the unorthodox German who freely admits he idolises Murray.

Let's face it, we all do. What a man. What a privilege to call him Scottish, to be able to watch him even as he enters the twilight of his career.

The way he competes, the way he fights, the incredible shot-making ability he possesses, his chuntering to his coaching box, the engagement with the fans, the facial expressions, his increasingly articulate interviews, his views on the NHS, on women's rights, the way he delicately lifts the ball over a stricken, panicked opponent to win the match. Murray is special, one in a generation. We are so lucky to have him.

He may not have that many Wimbledons left. His body is increasingly prone to breaking down when he gets seriously competitive these days. This is highly unlikely to be his last Wimbledon listen to him when he says that he wants to play for as long as possible - but Friday nights, under the SW19 sunlight, are becoming rarer and rarer.

Today he takes on the No.10 seed, Canada's Denis Shapovalov. The young Canuck likes the grass, serves big with his awkward lefty delivery and has a punishing onehanded backhand. He's no Roger Federer, but this is a big step up from playing a qualifier in Otte, or a volatile performer in Basilashvili.

Still, never write off Murray. He will be relishing this encounter, and so should we. It's been too long since we had a Murray marathon to take us into the weekend at Wimbledon. Regardless of the result on Centre Court, Murray is back on our screens, doing what he loves, doing it so very well.