Metal hip and all, Andy Murray managed to pull off a massive upset victory in his first match at the Australian Open on Tuesday, beating No. 13 ranked Matteo Berrettini in a five-set thriller, 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (10-6). Following the epic win, the Scot had this message for fans on social media:
“Thanks to everyone for all the kind messages. We left it all out there. Hope you enjoyed the show.”
Murray is currently ranked No. 66 in the world and pretty much no one gave him a chance of taking out the 2021 Wimbledon finalist. The 35-year-old had a quick two-set lead and saw that evaporate as Berrettini fired back to force a fifth set. The Italian even had a match point, but missed an easy shot, giving Murray the opportunity to stay alive:
Tennis is such a brutal sport. pic.twitter.com/De42p2xtLW
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) January 17, 2023
Andy Murray, a five-time runner-up at the Aussie Open, is no spring chicken anymore. He's got numerous health issues, most notably his bummed hip, but he never gave in. Murray pushed Berrettini to the absolute brink and captured his first win over a top-20-ranked opponent at a Major since 2017.
He's also the fifth man ever in the Open Era to collect 50 victories at the Australian Open, joining the likes of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal. Next, Murray is set to face either Thanasi Kokkinakis or Fabio Fognini in the Round of 64. While a deep run at Melbourne Park may seem improbable, he did just take out one of the best players on the tour. Anything is possible at this point.
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