Andy Murray rolls back the years with five-set win at Australian Open
Its the first time the Scot has beaten a top 20 player at a grand slam since his hip problems began in 2017
Last updated 17th Jan 2023
Andy Murray rolled back the years with an epic five-set win over Matteo Berrettini in the opening round of the Australian Open.
Bidding to beat a top 20 player at a grand slam for the first time since his hip problems began in 2017, Murray won the opening two sets before Berrettini fought back to level in a dramatic fourth-set tie-break.
The Italian 13th seed created a match point in the 10th game of the deciding set but dumped a simple backhand into the net with the court wide open and Murray held on to force a deciding tie-break.
A gruelling first point won by the Scot set the tone and Murray, who moved superbly, got the luck his performance deserved with a netcord on his first match point before celebrating a stunning 6-3 6-3 4-6 6-7 (7) 7-6 (6) victory after four hours and 49 minutes.
While such matches would have usually been contested in later rounds in his heyday, this will surely mean almost as much four years after the tearful press conference at Melbourne Park that seemed to herald the end of his career.
Murray says hard work paid off
Murray said: "I'll be feeling this this evening and tomorrow but right now I'm just unbelievably happy and very proud of myself.
"I've put a lot of work into the last three months with my team, to give me the opportunity to perform in stadiums like this and matches like this and it paid off tonight.
"That's the first time I've ever played one of those 10-point tie-breakers and it's a bit different. He came back really strong and I was a bit lucky at the end with the net-cord.
"He was serving unbelievably and he's a brilliant competitor as well, he always fights right to the end. I did well to get through."