Andy Murray's mood darkens in stalled Queen's match with Mardy Fish

Andy Murray's match with Mardy Fish ended in gloom and controversy at 8.32pm tonight when the American successfully appealed for a stoppage as the Scot was coming back strongly in the deciding third set. "The only reason he wanted to call it off was because I had come back from 3-1 down to 3-3," a furious Murray told the umpire Cedric Mourier. "He was happy to play on at 3-1. This is absolutely ridiculous." The third-round match was finely poised after Fish won the first set 6-4 and dropped the second 6-1. The light was poor but playable and, as Murray pointed out after Fish had left the court, not as bad as that which he had played in during the fourth round of the French Open at Roland Garros. Fish was about to serve in the seventh game when he went to the umpire's chair and complained about the light. They had been on court for one hour and 41 minutes, the third match on Centre Court. Murray stood for several minutes at the other end, impassive and unamused. When it became apparent that Fish had persuaded the umpire to call an end to play, Murray reacted as if stung by a summer bee, but the umpire was not inclined to change his call – by which time Fish was already back in the locker room. The suggestion that Fish had intervened when the match was swinging away from him seemed valid – but the laxity of the decision-making by the umpire did not help the mood. They will resume tomorrow morning spoiling for a fight.