Murray rubbishes 'nonsense' after US Open exit

1 year ago 116

Andy Murray’s latest week 1 exit astatine a Grand Slam tourney did not discourage him. The three-time large champion inactive thinks helium tin spell toe-to-toe with the champion successful men’s tennis — adjacent aft 2 hep operations, adjacent arsenic the years without a travel past the 3rd circular astatine immoderate of the sport’s biggest events agelong on.

After bowing retired astatine that signifier of the US Open with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (1), 6-3 nonaccomplishment crossed much than 3 1/2 hours against 2021 Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini, Murray chose to look connected the agleam side.

“I’ve got a metallic hip. It’s not casual playing with that. It’s truly difficult. I’m amazed I’m inactive capable to vie with guys that are close up astatine the apical of the game,” the 35-year-old Murray said, resting his caput connected his near hand.

“Matches similar this, I’m truly arrogant that I person worked myself into a presumption wherever I’m capable to bash that. I’m truly disappointed that I didn’t get implicit the enactment today. But I get reminded, like, ‘This is the archetypal clip you’ve made the 3rd circular present since 2016.’ It’s been six years. It’s been a hard six years for me.”

Berrettini, a large hitter who reached the 2019 semi-finals astatine Flushing Meadows, dominated successful conscionable astir each statistical mode astatine Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Despite the one-sided quality of the loss, Murray was philosophical aft the decision and refused to springiness successful to speech of status and reaffirmed his committedness to playing.

"I privation to propulsion and spot however acold I tin go. That volition beryllium motivational for maine and absorbing to see," Murray said.

"Lots of radical told maine I wouldn't beryllium capable to play again, and tons of radical told maine I'd beryllium capable to deed tennis balls but not vie professionally again.

"That was nonsense, and I privation to spot however adjacent I tin get backmost to the apical of the game. Yeah, that's what the information is."

Murray's lucifer finished hours earlier 23-time Grand Slam rubric victor Serena Williams was owed to instrumentality connected Ajla Tomljanovic successful the 3rd round.

Williams drew different ample assemblage to her warmup session, with large cheers occasionally breaking retired aft her champion shots.

“Yeah, let’s spell baby!” 1 instrumentality screamed aft Williams followed a bully service with a almighty backhand down the line. She finished soon aft and gave a question to the fans arsenic she walked disconnected toward Ashe, her lucifer astir an hr away.

Coco Gauff, an 18-year-old American who reached the last astatine the French Open successful June, made it to the 4th circular astatine the U.S. Open for the archetypal clip with a 6-2, 6-3 triumph implicit Madison Keys, the 2017 runner-up successful New York and seeded 20th this year.

Gauff’s lucifer ended a small much than an hr earlier Williams-Tomljanovic was owed to statesman -- and truthful the teen looked up a bit.

“I cognize she’s connected my broadside of the draw,” Gauff said astir Williams, whom she cites arsenic an idol and inspiration and would emotion to get the accidental to face. “Hopefully we tin some support winning. It’s been a lifelong imagination of excavation for that to happen.”

Gauff present meets Zhang Shuai, who eliminated Rebecca Marino 6-2, 6-4.

Defending men's champion Daniil Medvedev was scheduled to look Wu Yibing of China successful Ashe to adjacent the night.

In different enactment during the time session, Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur came backmost to decision No.31 Shelby Rogers 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 and debar the benignant of aboriginal exit by a high-seeded pistillate that has filled the archetypal week of play astatine the year’s past major.

No.2 Anett Kontaveit (who mislaid to Williams), No.3 Maria Sakkari and No.4 Paula Badosa are each aready gone, arsenic are 2021 champion Emma Raducanu and 2021 runner-up Leylah Fernandez; No.1 Iga Swiatek and No.5 Jabeur person offered a spot of the expected.

Jabeur reached the 4th circular successful New York for the archetypal clip aft going 0-3 successful the 3rd circular since 2019.

“Finally,” Jabeur said. “I cognize that I don’t play the champion connected hard courts, but it’s ever astonishing to spot however I’m improving, however I’m pushing my limits.”

She adjacent plays No.18 Veronika Kudermetova, who needed conscionable 47 minutes to overwhelm Dalma Galfi 6-2, 6-0.

In the men's bracket, French Open runner-up Casper Ruud edged 29th-seeded Tommy Paul successful 5 sets, portion No.27 Karen Khachanov moved connected erstwhile his opponent, Jack Draper, stopped playing successful the 3rd acceptable due to the fact that of an injured hamstring.

The 13th-seeded Berrettini precocious to look Alejandro Davidovich Fokina connected Sunday by hitting much aces than the unseeded Murray, 18-5, delivering acold much full winners, 55-24, and accumulating 15 interruption points, converting five, portion facing lone four.

Murray’s summation: “I served beauteous poorly for a ample portion of the match.”

He won his archetypal Slam trophy astatine the U.S. Open successful 2012, past added titles astatine Wimbledon successful 2013 and 2016, becoming the archetypal British antheral to triumph determination since the 1930s. Murray made it to No.1 successful the rankings successful 2017; that besides was the past clip helium reached the 4th circular astatine immoderate major, doing truthful astatine the All England Club.

“Unfortunately, I ne'er played him erstwhile helium was No.1, but his level seems precise precocious close now. He’s ace intelligent. He reads the crippled precise well. ... He made maine sweat a lot,” Berrettini said aft a lucifer that was interrupted for astir 5 minutes portion paramedics attended to a spectator. “He inactive moves well. He has a batch of spot successful his legs. I spot him successful the gym each the time.”

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