A classic Andy Murray weathered a gallant fightback from Matteo Berrettini earlier than dumping the thirteenth seeded Italian out of the Australian Open first spherical with an epic 6-3 6-3 4-6 6-7(7) 7-6 (10-6) win on Tuesday.
With the gang largely within the palm of his hand, the 35-year-old Scot raced out of the blocks to take the primary two units below the roof of a muggy Rod Laver Arena.
After practically 5 epic hours @andy_murray has carried out it!@wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis • #AusOpen • #AO2023 pic.twitter.com/00FgZbPb5g
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 17, 2023
A five-times runner-up within the match, little has come simple for Murray at Melbourne Park, and so it proved once more as Berrettini emerged from a protracted off-court break between units dialled-in to stage the match.
Murray’s dedication by no means wavered, although, and he held his nerve within the deciding 10-point tiebreak, closing out the match with unimaginable fortune as his bunted forehand return caught the web and left Berrettini no probability.
Murray will play the winner of Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis and Italian veteran Fabio Fognini for a spot within the third spherical.
