Murray is playing the final event of his brilliant career and, having pulled out of singles on Thursday, knew defeat against Japanese duo Taro Daniel and Kei Nishikori would mean the end.
It certainly looked to be heading that way when, having trailed 4-2 in the second set on a subdued Court Suzanne Lenglen, Murray and Evans then faced five match points at 4-9 in the deciding tie-break.
But Murray knows a thing or two about comebacks and, aided by Evans, he conjured another remarkable one, the pair winning seven points in a row to triumph 2-6 7-6 (5) (11/9).
The British pair leapt around the court in delight as they moved through to the last 16 at Roland Garros.
Murray has clearly enjoyed the experience of being part of Team GB again, taking part in the opening ceremony and being a celebrity in the Athletes’ Village, but for a set and a half there was little enjoyable about this match.
He received an enthusiastic welcome when he strode onto Court Suzanne Lenglen, Roland Garros’ second arena, behind Evans but the stands stayed stubbornly half full at best, with the personal significance of the occasion a little lost amid the wider context of the Games.
Murray and Evans had both talked up their chances, and both have had success in doubles in Davis Cup, but they looked from the start like two men not used to playing together or in the format.
Veteran Nishikori, beaten by Jack Draper in the singles earlier, has barely played in recent years and Daniel is a solid but unspectacular singles player, so this could hardly be said to have been a tough draw.
But the Japanese were sharper in every element and won seven games in a row to lead 2-0 in the second set before the British pair finally gained a foothold.
Murray and Evans celebrated every point won with fist pumps and cheers, and they dug in grimly, twice breaking the Nishikori serve to draw level at 4-4.
Murray roared ‘Let’s go’ when he finally held serve for the first time since the opening game to put them within touching distance of a deciding tie-break, which is played instead of a third set at the Olympics.
They duly set up a nail-biting finale by finding some of their best tennis in the second-set breaker but it looked to have got away from them only for Murray and Evans somehow to hang on.
“I didn’t really feel that bad going into the match,” Murray said. “I felt fine today. I was a little bit nervous but I like that. But then, when the match started, I was not playing well, not feeling great, didn’t serve well.
“I was feeling it a bit during the match but, at the end, I wasn’t standing to serve thinking ‘Oh my God this is about to be over, what am I going to do? I was really clear about where I wanted to return and where I wanted to serve.”
Twenty-four days ago, Murray was given an emotional send off at Wimbledon, which would have been a fitting way to say goodbye to the sport, but he was adamant, once he had decided this summer was it for him, that he wanted to play the Olympics as well.
“I wanted this to be my final tournament, not Wimbledon,” he said. “I love being part of this. It’s so different to what we usually experience. Davis Cup is similar in some ways but it’s on a much smaller scale.
“We’re cycling around the village and just being part of it and, when I’m doing that, and sometimes just walking through the village, I’m like, ‘This is what I’m going to miss’. I’m going to miss being part of these tournaments and these events and it’s really special being here.”
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