By Tony Fairbairn
- Andy Murray def Corentin Moutet 6-2 7-5 6-3
- Murray v Grigor Dimitrov [19] | H2H: Murray leads 8-3
NEW YORK, USA – Andy Murray earned his 200th Grand Slam victory with a straight sets win over Corentin Moutet and will now face 19th seed Grigor Dimitrov in the second round.
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Andy Murray def Corentin Moutet 6-2 7-5 6-3
Andy Murray claimed his 200th Grand Slam win as he moved into the second round with a straight sets win over Corentin Moutet. It was a good start from Murray as he applied the early pressure by being aggressive from the forehand but the Brit couldn’t quite apply the finishing touches when having break points. There was a strong response from Moutet, who brought his chaotic tennis to Grandstand and also created some early break point opportunities.
However Murray denied Moutet the early break and it was the former champion who prevailed towards the end of the opening set with some terrific tennis. A complete return game in the sixth game was sealed with a phenomenal drop-shot as Murray took a 4-2 lead in the opening set. The Brit went from strength to strength as he played some frantic and aggressive tennis to break for a second time as he captured the opening set 6-2.
It was a vintage Murray performance but even the former world number one’s best performances have an element of danger to them and this match was no different. After a confident start to the second set, Murray dropped his level of concentration and that allowed Moutet back into the match as a few unforced errors from the Brit saw the Frenchman break for a 3-2 lead.
Despite trailing by a break, the pressure from Murray continued on return as he was able to create a flurry of break point opportunities. However Moutet remained firm with some stunning shot-making as some effective point construction allowed him to close in on the second set with a 5-3 lead.
Although Moutet’s second set dominance may have been concerning for British tennis fans, those concerns were about to turn into cheers as the Frenchman’s inevitable self-destruction phase was about to arrive. The 24 year-old’s frustration grew stronger as he failed to convert set points and Murray capitalised as he increased the intensity and broke back for 5-5.
A rise smile broke through for Murray as he was now enjoying frustrating the Frenchman who made erratic error after erratic error which culminated in a wild smash going long on set point down and out of nowhere the Brit now had a two set lead.
That was the crucial moment as Murray was feeling confident in the third set although the Brit couldn’t convert his break points. It was a set full of drama as Murray slightly pulled his hamstring when attempting to get to an underarm serve from the Frenchman. Then seconds afterwards, Moutet badly hurt his wrist as he fell to the ground which lead to one of the slowest walks to a change of ends in history.
Once that was all out of the way, Murray continued to earn opportunity and opportunity on return which was eventually taken by the three-time Grand Slam champion with another majestic drop shot. After another dramatic service game, Murray would close out the win to seal his place in the second round of the US Open and another landmark Grand Slam win for the Brit.
Andy Murray v Grigor Dimitrov [19] H2H & Match Fundamentals
| Andy Murray v Grigor Dimitrov [19] | H2H: Murray leads 8-3 |
| US Open 2023 | New York, USA |
| Hard (O) | Prize Money: $123,000 |
| First on Arthur Ashe Stadium at 12pm (5pm BST) | Sky/Now TV Subscription Required |
Murray will now look to secure a place in the third round in New York for the second consecutive year when he faces 19th seed Grigor Dimitrov.
Tale of the Tape – Key Stats (2023)
| H2H: | Andy Murray (WR 37) | Grigor Dimitrov (WR 19) |
| Tournament Previous Best | Champion (2012) | Semi-Final (2019) |
| 1st Serve % | 62 | 59.5 |
| Service Games Won % | 82.5 | 83.6 |
| Break Points Saved % | 62 | 61.7 |
| 2nd Serve Return Points Won % | 49.8 | 53 |
| Break Points Converted % | 32.4 | 41.3 |
Murray will need to improve his serving statistics when he takes on the efficient returning of Dimitrov.
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Playing styles and prediction
There will be nobody more relieved in New York right now than Dimitrov who had to recover from two sets down to defeat Alex Molcan in a fifth set tiebreak. The Bulgarian will need to improve his performances dramatically if he wants to make any real impact on the US Open as he looks to end a consistent season on a high note.
Murray will look to continue to be proactive on return but will need to be more aggressive on serve if he wants to win this match. Meanwhile Dimitrov will look to approach the net to put Murray under severe pressure as he looks to remain clinical on return. This match has five set epic written all over it and if it comes to stamina there is only one winner here although both players will be desperate for a win here.
Prediction: Dimitrov in five sets.
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