Andy Murray returns to the tennis court for the first time since suffering ankle injury... as he claims victory on his 37th birthday and toasts his success with a birthday cake

For his 37th birthday Andy Murray was presented with a cake, a new racket and an 11pm victory in the lowly Bordeaux Challenger.

The cake came from the tournament organisers, the new racket is the Yonex he is trialling this week, and the win was gifted to him when world No 219 Kyrian Jacquet retired with an injury trailing 7-6, 2-0.

It was a first clay court match for almost exactly a year for Murray, and his first on any surface since he tore ankle ligaments in Miami in March.

And it was his first without a Head racket in his hand in his entire career, as the Scot ponders an shock change of equipment for his final months on tour.

Given all that unfamiliarity, this was a welcome victory, even if it came through retirement and against a French qualifier who had never beaten a top-100 player and possibly never even met a triple Grand Slam champion.

The match began after 10pm local time as the schedule was compressed by rain earlier in the day. But Murray is the star attraction this week in south west France and so the locals wrapped up warm and packed the stands. 

The first 10 games were closer than Murray would have liked, as his 23-year-old opponent dealt some meaty forehand blows. But from 5-5 he won 12 points in a row to take the first set and an early break in the second.

Jacquet was playing increasingly wildly and he called it a day, seeming to indicate a groin injury.

Murray will be given a more severe test in the last-16 on Thursday when he plays another Frenchman, Gregoire Barrere, who has been as high as No 49 in the world.

Playing what will almost certainly be his final season, Murray is looking to find his clay-legs as he builds up to his first appearance at the French Open since 2020. 

He will hope to get several matches under his belt this week before moving on to Geneva and then on to Paris.