By Tony Fairbairn
- Matteo Berrettini [13] def Andy Murray 6-4 6-4 6-7(1) 6-3
NEW YORK, USA – Andy Murray is pleased with the improvement he has made this season despite losing in the third round of the US Open to Matteo Berrettini.
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Matteo Berrettini [13] def Andy Murray 6-4 6-4 6-7(1) 6-3
Andy Murray is out of the US Open despite a late comeback as he lost to Matteo Berrettini in four sets. Murray set the pace early on as he held to love and forced the Italian into a long service game as Berrettini was very passive in the early stages. However the 13th seed grew into the game as his forehand broke down Murray’s defence in the third game, creating a break point.
Murray would hold and then create some effective points from the baseline to put Berrettini under pressure. The Brit couldn’t convert that pressure into a break of serve and in the seventh game he would be punished for his missed opportunities.
In the seventh game, Berrettini played some powerful shots to Murray under pressure which saw the Brit create some unforced errors. On break point down Murray would serve a double fault as the sun caused him problems throughout the contest as Berrettini struck first. The Italian would hammer down some massive serves as he sealed the opening set with ease as Murray had work to do.
The job became harder in the second set as Murray’s service jitters continued as another double fault set up break point for Berrettini in the opening game. The Italian took his opportunity with a flurry of forehands as he started the set with a break advantage but that didn’t last long. This is as Murray forced some errors from the Berrettini backhand to break straight back which was followed by a defiant roar.
The former champion was beginning to build confidence on serve as he was winning the longer rallies as belief grew that he could turn the match around. Despite this Berrettini continued to apply the pressure on the Brit, with some deep and powerful shot-making.
That pressure would pay off as a lack of first serves cost Murray yet again as a double fault handed the Italian the crucial break at 5-4. The 13th seed served out the second set as Murray’s frustrations began to boil over with a lack of first serves made as a gigantic comeback was needed from the Brit.
In the third set Murray managed to win the big points on serve as Berrettini wasted eight break points on return. There was no breakthrough on return for the Brit as the Italian continued to hammer down powerful serves to Murray’s frustration. However Murray was less frustrated than Berrettini was as the Italian made unforgivable errors on big points as he couldn’t find the crucial break.
Murray held his nerve and his serve to force an opening set tiebreak which started with a massive forehand from the Italian to go up an early mini-break. After that tough Berrettini made another flurry of shocking unforced errors on the forehand giving Murray belief that the Italian is there for the taking. The Brit seized the moment as he produced seven points in a row to take the third set as Arthur Ashe stadium went wild.
The momentum was firmly with Murray and he carried his brave baseline play into the fourth set as he broke at the start of the set. Murray’s confidence was evident but in a theme that followed the match, the Brit tensed up when having the advantage as some cheap errors handed the match back to Berrettini.
In this set it was Berrettini who was hanging onto his service games with Murray missing big opportunities to break. Eventually Murray was made to pay for the missed opportunities as a woeful service game handed Berrettini the advantage at 5-3. This time the Italian didn’t let the lead slip as he sealed his place in the second week of the US Open.
Murray finds positives in defeat
Despite the defeat Murray has found some positives in New York with there being no signs of cramping with his fitness back to its normal levels. The Brit also can take pride in taking Berrettini all the way with there being further proof that Murray’s game is almost back to where it should be.
Speaking after the match Murray admitted he is improving this year and there is massive motivation for the rest of the season, “I want to push and see how far I can go. I think I’m improving this year,” the Brit told the ATP website.
“You know, my ranking, I don’t even know what I was at the beginning of the year, but I’m now around 40-ish in the world and still going hard. That will be motivational for me and interesting to see, because lots of people told me I wouldn’t be able to play again, and lots of people told me I’d be able to hit tennis balls but not compete professionally again.
“That was nonsense, and I want to see how close I can get back to the top of the game. That’s what the motivation is.”
It seems that Murray is on the right path as he aims to return to the top of the game and continue his journey to find consistent results. Murray’s next goal will be to gain enough ranking points to be seeded for next year’s Australian Open which would mean avoiding tough draws at the biggest events.
He was named in Leon Smith’s Davis Cup Finals squad for the group stages, ahead of the knockout stages in November.
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