Former world No.1 Andy Murray, who persists in wanting to regain his former level after long years of hardship due to injuries, was rewarded with the 700th victory of his career to reach the second round of the Masters 1000 d ‘Indian Wells Friday.
The Scotsman, 88th in the world, is still far from his best level, which had seen him win three Grand Slam tournaments (two Wimbledons and a US Open). Perhaps he will never find him again at 34, because after a serious hip injury suffered in 2017, which required two surgeries, his comeback attempt, which began in 2019, seems futile. So this victory, snatched from a hard fight 1-6, 6-2, 6-4 at the expense of the Japanese Taro Daniel, had the effect of a balm to the heart for the one who was finalist of the event in 2009.
«Reaching that number of 700 wins is a very, very big accomplishment. It wasn’t easy to get there“, he said, recalling that he had reached the mark of 600 victories in 2016: “five and a half years to win the next hundred, it took time».
«I watch this stuff nowhe added of the career stats. “It motivates me and encourages me to try to go higher and win more matches. When you look at the players who have done that, they are definitely the best players of the last 30 or 40 years. It’s good to be among them».
Here he is indeed in the club of 700, alongside the three current giants of world tennis, but far from them too: Roger Federer (1,251 victories), Rafael Nadal (1,043) and Novak Djokovic (991). In Indian Wells, where he has an invitation, Murray is looking for a first title since 2019. He will face Kazakh Alexander Bublik (seeded N.31) in the next round.
Ukraine at heart
Iga Swiatek (seeded N.3), who is among the favorites of the tournament, is Polish, but wore on her outfit, already tinted with the same colors, a yellow and blue ribbon in support of Ukraine, keeping its commitment formulated on his Instagram account. “I’m against war, I don’t like to see people suffer. I am very proud of the Polish people, who welcome Ukrainians. I am proud that we are helping them and that we can be united in these difficult times“wrote the 20-year-old player, victorious at Roland-Garros in 2020. “I think we (athletes) can use our voices appropriately. I’m also thinking of a way to help, maybe by organizing something at my house“, she added, a few hours from qualifying for the 3rd round at the expense of a Ukrainian, Anhelina Kalinina, who gave her a hard time during a set 5-7, 6-0, 6 -1.
The latter’s compatriot, better known, Elina Svitolina (N.12) was also eliminated 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 by Harriet Dart, a Briton from qualifying. Another surprise of the 2nd round, the loss of the Spaniard Garbine Muguruza (N.8) against the American Alison Riske (0-6, 6-3, 6-1).
The Blues take 6-0
The six Frenchmen present on the courts came out beaten and without glory, the palm going to Benoît Paire, who totally scuttled himself, wasting four match points, before letting Dominik Koepfer reverse the situation 2-6, 7- 5, 6-4.
Richard Gasquet gave in after a rocky match against another German, Oscar Otte (6-2, 1-6, 6-3), and Ugo Humbert never really hoped for a victory, beaten without appeal by the Dane Holger Rune 6-3, 6-2. As for Adrian Mannarino, he lost in the night session 6-2, 7-6 (7/4) against the American Brandon Nakashima.
Among the women, Caroline Garcia and Alizé Cornet, were released in the 2nd round, respectively defeated, without demerit of course, by the Briton Emma Raducanu (6-1, 3-6, 6-1), unexpected winner of the last US Open , and Russian Anna Kalinskaya (6-4, 0-6, 6-2)
