Andy Murray has reiterated his standing as one of many nice titans of tennis after sinking 13th seed Matteo Berrettini 6-Three 6-Three 4-6 6-7 (7-9) 7-6 (10-6) in a close to five-hour duel on the Australian Open.
The Scottish former world No.1 took out the primary two units beneath the Rod Laver Area roof however went the gap for the third time in his final 4 matches in Melbourne.
WATCH IN THE VIDEO ABOVE: The second Andy Murray sealed his gorgeous five-set victory.
Watch the newest sport on Channel 7 or stream without cost on 7plus >>
It was after the primary of these, in 2019, when the five-time Australian Open runner-up was ‘retired’ by organizers with a tribute video prompted by feedback surrounding his damaged physique.
Now years faraway from surgical procedure that implanted a metallic hip into his physique, Murray has misplaced none of his trademark battle.
The turning level within the fifth set got here when he saved a match level and held serve for 5-5. By then each gamers appeared resigned to a 10-point tiebreak to resolve the victory – and it was Murray who got here up trumps.
The 35-year-old gained the primary 5 factors of the breaker earlier than Berrettini was on the board, however that was removed from a comfort.
Murray’s lead was minimize to simply two at 8-6 however that was as shut because it obtained, victory sealed together with his first of three match factors.
“I will be feeling this this night and tomorrow however proper now I am simply unbelievably blissful, very happy with myself,” he stated in his on-court interview.
Murray’s win notched up 50 victories on the Australian Open, whereas it was his first conquer a top-20 participant at a grand slam since he topped then world No.9 Kei Nishikori on the 2017 French Open.
It was additionally his 159th win from 160 matches the place he has gained the primary two units, the one defeat coming 18 years in the past at Wimbledon.
He’ll face Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis or Italian Fabio Fognini within the second spherical – after an ice tub or two.
“I’ve put quite a lot of work into the previous couple of months with my workforce, who’re right here, to provide me the chance to carry out on stadiums like this and in matches like this in opposition to gamers like Matteo,” Murray stated.
“It paid off tonight.”
Murray stated his first expertise with the prolonged 10-point tiebreak was “a bit totally different” to the norm.
“If you’re up 6-1 or 7-1, no matter, it feels such as you’re nonetheless fairly far-off,” he stated.
“He got here again on the finish and I used to be a bit fortunate with a web wire however a number of the tennis on the finish was fairly good. It felt like that enjoying, I do not know what it appeared like.
“He was serving unbelievable and he is a superb competitor as effectively. He at all times fights to the top. I did effectively to get by way of.”
In the meantime, Berrettini turned the newest sufferer of the so-called ‘Netflix curse’ because the fifth participant featured within the Break Level docuseries to both withdraw from the Australian Open or endure an early exit.
World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz, Spanish star Paula Badosa and top-ranked Australians Nick Kyrgios and Ajla Tomljanovic had been all compelled out with accidents after starring within the streaming sequence that debuted days earlier than the grand slam.
Berrettini stated it was powerful to speak concerning the loss to the “spectacular” Murray after coughing up a match level.
“May have been, you realize, totally different simply with a special ball. Final yr I gained 7-6 within the fifth. This yr I misplaced 7-6 within the fifth. It is simply tennis,” he stated.
“It is spectacular what he might do after so many surgical procedures, after all of the kilometers that he ran in his profession. It is spectacular. It simply exhibits how a lot he loves the sport, how a lot he loves these form of matches.”
– with AAP
