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Andy Murray qualifies for the second round of the Australian Open, after defeating Matteo Berrettini in a classic five set match.
After nearly five hours of an epic match, former World No. 1 Andy Murray, stunned 13th seed Matteo Berrettini 6-3 6-3 4-6 6-7(7) 7-6(10-6) to reach the second round of the 2023 Australian Open.
It is his first top 20 win at a major since 2017 and notches a milestone of a 50th Australian Open main draw match win.
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"Right now, I'm just unbelievably happy and very proud of myself. It's been a lot of work in the last few months with my team right here, to allow me to perform on stadiums like this and matches like this against players like Matteo. It paid off tonight," Murray said in an on-court interview.
How Murray won
The British star produced a remarkable display to come through against Berrettini full of shotmaking and clever tactics — along with a small slice of luck, as Berrettini netted a backhand passing shot on match point at 5-4 in the fifth with the court gaping.
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He came very close to match point twice in the fourth-set tie-break, only to be thwarted by moments of Berrettini brilliance. In the fifth set at 6-6, Murray saved a match point en route to stunning the Italian.
“That’s the first time I’ve ever played one of those 10-point tie-breaks. It’s a bit different. When you’re up 6/1, or 7/1 or whatever, it feels like you’re still quite far away," Murray said, before commenting on his return on match point, which dribbled over the net.
"He came back really strong and I was just a bit lucky at the end with the net cord.
“I think at the end some of the tennis was really good. It felt like that playing, I don’t know what it looked like, he continued.
"He was serving unbelievably and he’s a brilliant competitor as well, one of the best competitors on the Tour. He always fights right to the end, so I did well to get through.”
Murray extends career streak
It was a great effort from Berrettini, who before the fifth set had won his past nine tie-breaks at the Australian Open. By closing out the match, Murray extended a streak of his own: It has been 18 years since he has lost from two sets to love up.
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Berrettini had not lost in the first round of a major since the 2019 Australian Open, and had reached the quarterfinals or better in each of his past five Grand Slam appearances.
Murray is through to the Australian Open second round for the second consecutive year and 12th time overall. He is a five-time finalist at the event, with all five of those runs coming from 2010 to 2016.
Next up for Murray is either another Italian in Fabio Fognini or home favourite Thanasi Kokkinakis.
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