At 35 years old and several hip operations behind him, Andy Murray He still retains something of the class and talent that made him a three-time Grand Slam champion and a five-time World Cup finalist. Open the Australia. This Tuesday, in the oceanic tournament where he announced his momentary retirement after losing in the first round against Roberto Bautista in 2019, the british beat one of the favourites, Matteo Berrettini (13th)in an exciting duel that was resolved in the super tiebreaker of the fifth set: 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-7 (9) and 7-6 (6) in 4h49.
Murray had not beaten a top-20 player in a major since 2017, when he beat the then 9th-ranked Kei Nishikori in the quarterfinals at Roland Garros. ANDThe Scotsman added brilliantly, with a performance that led to exhaustion and blood on his knee from a fall. Sir Andy gave it all up on the track against a Berrettini who is still not 100% physically fit. And so, with a bit of luck because he won match point with a soft return that hit the net and landed on the other side of the court, he scored his 50th win in Melbourne, becoming only the fifth to do so. in the Open Era after Federer (102), Djokovic (82), Nadal (77) and Edberg (56).
“I will feel very tired this afternoon and tomorrow, but right now I am incredibly happy and proud of myself. I have worked a lot in recent months with my team to have the opportunity to play in stadiums and matches like this and against players like Matteo, and I’ve been rewarded today,” Murray said, excited.
Zverev suffers to beat Rods
Inactivity was about to take its toll on Alexander Zverev in the first round of the Australian Open. The 25-year-old German and 13th in the ranking did not play an official match between the Roland Garros semifinals, when he broke his right ankle while pressing Rafa Nadal, the eventual champion, and the United Cup, in which he lost both matches he played against the Czech Jiri Lehecka and the American Taylor Fritz. And he noticed that against a rival who under normal conditions would have passed over, but who played one of the best games of his career and was about to eliminate the 2020 US Open finalist: the Peruvian Juan Pablo Varillas (27 years and 104th). Zverev managed to win with a lot of suffering, in five sets (4-6, 6-1, 5-7, 7-6 (3) y 6-4) y 4h06. They saved the serve (21 aces) and the winning shots (69), and that his rival made many unforced errors (58). Sascha will now face the re-fished American Michael Mmoh, who replaced the last-minute loss of Belgian David Goffin, or the Frenchman from the previous one, Laurent Lokoli.
Thiem can’t with Rublev
Dominic Thiem played the Australian Grand Slam with an invitation, but could not take advantage of it because Andrey Rublevfifth favourite, gave a good account of the Austrian, champion three years ago in New York and finalist in Melbourne that same season, whom he beat by 6-3, 6-4 and 6-2 in 2h10. The Russian imposed his current ranking and his best form to prevail without too many difficulties against a rival who, after not playing for 10 months, has not yet found a way to stand up to the top players again. Rublev will face Australian Max Purcell or Finn Emil Ruusuvuori on Thursday. Fritz started his way in the tournament with a victory against the Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili, that made life difficult for the American, seeded number eight, by winning the third set before falling 6-4, 6-2, 4-6 and 7-5 in 2h24. Taylor will face the Taiwanese Tseng or the Australian Popyrin. Holger Rune (9th) also advanced, with less difficulties, who won 6-2, 6-3 and 6-4 in 2h03. The 19-year-old Dane, who made the leap to the top-10 with a brilliant finish to the course, will meet the Spanish Albert Ramos or the American Maxime Cressy.
