Andy Murray’s epic Australian Open run ended with a third-round defeat by the hands of Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut on Saturday.
The Scot was again on the scene of his late-night heroics towards Thanasi Kokkinakis, having carried out his finest to get well from the five-hour and 45-minute marathon, the place he got here again from two units down to assert victory at 4.05am native time.
Coupled with a close to five-hour first-round win over Matteo Berrettini, Murray had spent 10 hours and 34 minutes on court docket simply making it by way of to the final 32.
To start with it appeared he would provide little resistance however he willed himself into the match and improbably took the second set earlier than Spaniard Bautista Agut claimed a 6-1 6-7 (7-9) 6-3 6-4 victory after three hours and 29 minutes.
Murray vs Bautista Agut: Match Stats
Murray
Match Stats
Bautista Agut
7
Aces
5
5
Double Faults
1
61%
1st serve win share
79%
49%
2nd serve win share
68%
2/2
Break factors gained
6/14
25/41
Net factors gained
29/41
49
Total winners
50
54
Unforced errors
29
103
Total factors gained
142
The contest additionally got here 4 years after Murray tearfully revealed the extent of his hip ache and that he was contemplating retiring forward of a first-round conflict with Bautista Agut in Melbourne.
The 35-year-old Scot gained simply one of many first 15 factors earlier than getting on the board within the fourth sport and Bautista Agut wrapped up the opening set in solely 29 minutes.
Murray was rapidly down a break within the second as effectively however he dug in to maintain it at that and, willed on by a crowd that includes loads of Scottish saltires, started to make some headway.
Unexpectedly, Bautista Agut gave the break again to make it 4-4, and Murray battled to remain on phrases, saving a break level within the eleventh sport with an excellent backhand go.
Bautista Agut led 5-2 and 6-4 within the tie-break however Murray once more wouldn’t let go, getting again on stage phrases after which forcing two set factors, of which he took the second.
Murray stood statuesque, absorbing the adulation of the followers who now absolutely believed they could be witnessing one thing very particular.
But Bautista Agut managed to close out the noise within the third set, lastly breaking by way of to steer 5-3, and an early break for Murray within the fourth proved a false daybreak.
Coupled with a loss for Dan Evans to Andrey Rublev earlier, that’s now the top of the British problem in singles for an additional yr at Melbourne Park.
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Dan Evans was overpowered by fifth seed Andrey Rublev
Evans was overpowered by fifth seed Andrey Rublev in a complete straight-sets defeat.
Evans had lived as much as his twenty fifth seeding by reaching the third spherical and went into the match because the underdog, however had purpose to consider he may trigger an upset having gained three of his six earlier clashes with Rublev.
However, the Russian crunched 60 winners in contrast with solely 22 unforced errors in a high quality show to win 6-4 6-2 6-3.
Evans’ generosity provides Rublev a lift
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Evans threw considered one of his bananas to Rublev in a light-hearted second throughout the match
After the primary 9 video games went with serve, Rublev requested a ball boy for some bananas to offer him a lift of power.
Overhearing, Evans threw considered one of his bananas to his opponent, who promptly broke serve within the subsequent sport to take the opening set and didn’t look again.
“He truly requested for 4 bananas, and I fairly like him, so I shared with him,” mentioned Evans. “They solely introduced two, so I donated (one) so he may have one.”
Rublev smiled when requested about it in his post-match interview, saying: “He helped me with some power for certain. I gained an additional two video games as a result of I ate a banana.”
It was a seventh assembly between Evans and Rublev, who had shared six shut matches previous to this primary Grand Slam encounter.
“It was only a good and enjoyable second between us,” added Rublev. “We have an excellent relationship between one another. We performed nice matches.
“I believe we performed rather a lot already, and he gained some matches and I gained some matches. But I gained the final one now. Next time he might want to take revenge.”
Long journey to Bogota for Evans
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The British No 2 faces an extended journey from Melbourne to Bogota
Evans should now make the lengthy journey from Melbourne to Bogota for Britain’s Davis Cup play-off towards Colombia in a fortnight.
He will be part of Cameron Norrie and Jack Draper within the workforce, with Neal Skupski and Joe Salisbury’s participation probably depending on how far they progress in doubles at Melbourne Park.
Although Britain have the higher-ranked gamers by a distance, the situations will strongly favour the house workforce, with the tie being performed on clay and with pressure-less balls to counter the results of altitude.
Evans expects it to be very robust, saying: “I’ve performed in altitude in Guadalajara, and I used to be garbage. Then I requested any person, ‘Is that related?’ And they had been like, ‘No, that is hardly something in comparison with (Bogota)’. So, I imply, God is aware of. It’s an expertise, I suppose.
“I believe it is necessary that the most effective gamers can get on the market and signify your nation. You do not know the way lengthy you’ve got obtained. I won’t be on the workforce subsequent yr. We’ve obtained some good gamers coming.”
