Andy Murray wins virtual Madrid Open and donates prize money to the NHS

Murray will donate half the £43,600 prize to the NHS and the other to the Madrid Food Bank charity

Andy Murray prevailed in the inaugural Mutua Madrid Open Virtual Pro after edging out Belgium’s David Goffin in the final.

Murray overcame Goffin on a tiebreak 7-6 (5) on PlayStation game Tennis World Tour in a competition arranged to replace the postponed Madrid Open, which the Scot has won twice in his career.

He said afterwards: “Of all the matches I played, that felt like a proper match, we were a similar level.

“It was good. I enjoyed it, there’s not much we can do just now, we spend most of the days indoors and can’t get out much so it was a fun thing to do.”

Former world number one Murray was gifted a route into the showpiece following some bizarre technical glitches in his semi-final against Diego Schwartzman on Thursday afternoon.

The Argentinian unfathomably kept being awarded points, a situation which led Murray to say: “This is madness.”

Schwartzman won a tiebreak – despite the last point being a winner from Murray – but the South American graciously stepped aside.

A tournament statement said: “Due to technical problems with dieschwartzman’s connection that prevented him from competing normally in his semi-final match, the players have agreed that andy-murray should progress to the £MMOPEN Virtual Pro final.”

The charity initiative will donate 50,000 euros (£43,600) to the Madrid Food Bank to help reduce the social impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Murray said on Instagram: “I’ll be donating half of the 45 thousand dollars prize money to the NHS and the other half to the tennis player relief fund.”