He took the scenic route, edging out Thanasi Kokkinakis in five sets with admirable fight, but it highlighted another condition in any further improvement. His tournament could have looked very different if he was able to finish his first match efficiently, but despite how well he played, he could not. As Berrettini’s level, and serving, increased, he went blow for blow with a top player in full flight and had chances to swiftly end the match, standing two points away from victory in the third set tiebreak and then holding break points in the fourth set. Former world number one Murray finished his second-round match at 4am on Friday and, returning to court 39 hours later, was beaten 6-1 6-7 (7-9) 6-3 6-4. Murray started the tournament playing at an extremely high level against Matteo Berrettini and he dominated the first half of the match. “When you think what he’s gone through to be able to go out there and play that much tennis and the quality of tennis, and the movement side of things and to be able to get up and do it again.” “I think what he’s done this week, as I think it’d be argued that it has been one of the most impressive physical acts any athlete could do,” said Leon Smith, Great Britain’s Davis Cup captain. In his first round match, before his lower-back issues, he served well in decisive moments. He played proactively, moving forward to the net and attempting to dictate. He moved extremely well and he struck his forehand more authoritatively than he has done for years. What is clear is that Murray has made undeniable strides. After not contesting the clay court season in 2021, Murray had planned not to compete on clay last year before he changed his mind. Whether he chooses to compete on clay will be another decision to make. Should he hope to move towards the top 32 in order to secure seeding in the second half of the season, he must start making positive strides. After continually losing in the second round of tournaments throughout last spring, Murray has only 160 points to defend before the clay court season. He will also compete in Dubai in February, then at the Sunshine Double, Indian Wells and Miami.Īt the end of the Australian Open, Murray will be ranked around 62nd. Murray will next play in Rotterdam, the indoor ATP 500 event that begins in three weeks on Monday, and then his schedule is full. Andy Murray said he was much more comfortable taking on a top player early on in a Grand Slam this year than he was in 2022, as the former world number one prepares to battle big-serving Matteo Berrettini in the Australian Open first round. While Murray feels he is in far better shape to battle with top players than last season, his Australian Open was a reflection of the increased effort it takes to topple a top player and how such tight matches can set the tone for the rest of the event. Arriving in a grand slam tournament unseeded puts him at the mercy of the draw.Īs he moves on with the season, improving his ranking in order to be seeded at slams and smaller ATP events alike will naturally be one of his goals. ![]() The obvious obstacle, as he discussed throughout last season, is his ranking. It’s really a roller coaster, honestly.Murray pointed to the improvements he can make in order to make life easier for himself. ![]() “That works for a little bit, then it doesn’t, then works again. “Yeah, pills kick in, some hot cream and stuff,” Djokovic said afterwards. Djokovic won the important ones despite, we’re told, a dodgy left hamstring. The two traded blows in some exceptional points. Grigor Dimitrov stood in the way in the third round. He’s been recovering ever since, inserting a metal binding mechanism to his hip to offer one last hurrah.ĭjokovic, the bionic man, has kept on keeping on, and has navigated one week of two in search of a 10th Australian Open, despite problems of his own. History, dictated by results, now suggest otherwise but still, what turned young Andy into a knight of the realm was a period in 2016 when he broke the Djokovic-Federer-Nadal stranglehold to be No.1 for 40 weeks. ![]() Young Andy was touted as the more complete player then. The two first met when talented 13-year-olds at an event in France. They had already witnessed one masterclass from Novak Djokovic, a long-time rival of Murray. Nessun Dorma was sung by three tenors posing as security guards, a surprise performance that had the crowd begging for an encore. Andy Murray has described his effort in his incredible recovery from two sets down against Thanasi Kokkinakis at the Australian Open as unbelievable after he fought back to defeat the. Andy Murray leans on his racquet during his match against Roberto Bautista Agut.
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