Andy Murray suffered probably his most unpleasant Grand Slam exit because his return from hip issues after a humbling straight-sets defeat to Tomas Etcheverry at the Australian Open on Monday.
The 36-year-old Scot laboured on Kia Arena as he suffered just his 2nd opening-round defeat at the Grand Slam in 16 years.
Murray was beat and suffered a 6-4 6-2 6-2 loss in 2 hours and 23 minutes that was a far cry from his magnificence days.
His just other defeat in the preliminary here because 2008 came 5 years back in a psychological five-setter versus Roberto Bautista Agut after Murray had actually exposed the level of his hip issues.
” An amazing match for me. It is difficult to have fun with a legend like Andy. He is among my idols. We played 2 times in the in 2015,” stated 30th seed Etcheverry.
” It was a long fight. I hope I can continue at this level in the next match.
” I simply attempted to play point by point and play my video game. I wish to keep going. I worked so difficult and I require to enhance other things.”
Etcheverry (left) is praised by Murray after his win over the Scot on Kia Arena
From the start the match was controlled by long standard rallies. Murray dropped serve in the opening video game however broke back right away and had one possibility to move 4-2 ahead just for a lob to fail.
It showed an expensive mistake as, with Murray attempting to draw out life from the old balls on serve in the next video game, Etcheverry broke once again before clinching a 61-minute very first set.
Murray’s serve was showing his primary Achilles heel, with his very first shipment undependable and the 2nd offering Etcheverry the possibility to take control of the rallies.
The Argentinian, a quarter-finalist at the French Open in 2015, was likewise making less errors from the standard and Murray’s resistance was broken once again early in the 2nd set.
Fans had actually queued around the block to attempt to enter Kia Arena however the environment was silenced as Murray marched for the 3rd set, confronted with attempting to install another impressive resurgence.
He did not get as down on himself as he has in current matches and penetrated for a method into the contest however it was Etcheverry who broke serve once again to lead 3-2, and completion promptly followed.
This was his 4th defeat in a row for Murray going back to October, while he has actually now lost 7 of his last 8 matches, the worst run of his profession.
Tsitsipas produces shot from the gods in opening win
Stefanos Tsitsipas produced a remarkable, balletic chance at a clutch minute in his opening match at the Australian Open to assist him past fortunate loser Zizou Bergs
Greek seventh seed Stefanos Tsitsipas rallied from a set down to beat fortunate loser Zizou Bergs 5-7 6-1 6-1 6-3 and move into the 2nd round.
Bergs was a late replacement for the hurt Matteo Berrettini, and Tsitsipas stated the modification of challenger had actually tossed him off his video game early on.
Tsitsipas produced a remarkable, balletic chance at a clutch minute having actually lost the opening set to world No 129 on Rod Laver Arena having actually gotten a break point at the start of the 2nd when his Belgian challenger sent out the ball simply over the web.
Tsitsipas raced in and reached over into the opposite of the court to slap the ball off the ground towards the umpire and win the point, all the while in some way handling to prevent touching the web to prevent being punished.
” That shot was remarkable, I do not even understand how I got that shot,” Tsitsipas stated.
” I believed for a flash when he struck that underspin volley ‘that’s it, I’ll need to get ready for the next point’.
” However I think not wishing to quit and simply offering it a shot provided me the point that I think reversed the match today.”
Likewise in the guys’s draw, three-time Grand Slam champ Stan Wawrinka left in the preliminary after losing 6-4 3-6 5-7 6-3 6-0 to Adrian Mannarino
Medvedev bothered by the Melbourne heat
Daniil Medvedev was bothered by the Melbourne heat however took advantage of the tearful retirement of challenger Terence Atmane.
3rd seed Russian Daniil Medvedev got rid of blistering heat to get a 5-7 6-2 6-4 1-0 triumph by retirement over French qualifier Terence Atmane, who was left sobbing on his chair with head in hands.
” Here I believe what is difficult is that the conditions were not the most difficult I have actually ever played in however because one week we didn’t truly have hot days,” stated Medvedev, who next faces Finn Emil Ruusuvuori.
” So here, very first match for me, he’s not utilized to Grand Slams likewise yet, so a great deal of nerves. The heat exists. So physically it’s challenging I believe. It is difficult for everybody.
” I more than happy that I handled to be more powerful physically since it was challenging at one minute. At this minute he began constraining. Simply need to remain in there and I more than happy to go through.”
Atmane sobbed on his chair with head in hands.
Medvedev joked that the info he had actually collected on challenger Atmane from gamers on the ATP Trip had actually shown unreliable.
” He’s simply concerning explore so I didn’t understand much about him,” he stated.
” Everybody informed me he had a much better forehand than backhand. However if you take a look at the statistics, he missed out on like 3 backhands. Thanks guys.”
American Ben Shelton, who made a development go to the quarter-finals here in 2015, reduced into round 2 with a 6-2 7-6 (7-2) 7-5 triumph over Roberto Bautista Agut however there were beats for previous champ Stan Wawrinka and Canadian Denis Shapovalov.
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