US Open 2015: Andy Murray beats Nick Kyrgios in first round
02.09.2015 13:30
Britain's Andy Murray won a pulsating New York night match against Australian Nick Kyrgios to reach the US Open second round.
Murray, seeded third, came through 7-5 6-3 4-6 6-1 against the brilliant but unpredictable 20-year-old.
The Scot's experience told as he broke serve seven times to win in two hours and 43 minutes.
Murray, 28, goes on to face Frenchman Adrian Mannarino in round two on Thursday.
"It was tough and I had to do a lot of running in very humid conditions," said Murray. "I'm getting old now - 28 years old. I need to get in the ice bath and cool off a bit."
Kyrgios was playing his first Grand Slam match since being fined and given a suspended ban for comments made about Stan Wawrinka's girlfriend during a recent match in Montreal.
He is scheduled to play mixed doubles with Eugenie Bouchard in New York, and will then travel to Glasgow for Australia's Davis Cup semi-final against Great Britain - and a possible rematch with Murray.
The 2012 champion has not lost in the first round of a Grand Slam since 2008, and has his eyes firmly set on winning a third major title at the end of next week.
He has rarely drawn a tougher opening opponent but coped superbly, standing firm in the face of the expected fireworks across the net.
"He's unpredictable," said Murray. "He can play all of the shots, he serves extremely well, he's a fantastic athlete, a big guy, covers the court extremely well. It's tough to get the ball out of his strike zone.
"It was a very tricky match and I just fought hard, mixed it up and managed to get through."
Murray recovered an early break before taking the first set with a laser-like return, and then saw off seven break points on his way to the second set.
Kyrgios smashed his racquet early in the third when another three break points went begging until he finally made the breakthrough to lead 2-0 - only for Murray to break back to
A desperate service game from the Briton at 4-5 ended with a double fault to hand Kyrgios the third set, and apparently a lifeline.
However, Murray stepped up the intensity at the start of the fourth with a break to love and raced through it in under half an hour.
"The beginning of the fourth set was important because I finished it extremely well, and I managed to get the momentum back," added Murray.
While Kyrgios provided evidence of his extraordinary talent with some huge winners, several casual shots between his legs and one stroll up to a smash, Murray hit more aces and winners and made fewer errors.
The suspended ban hanging over world number 37 Kyrgios does not relate to Grand Slams, so he was free to vent his feelings - within the usual boundaries.
He had good reason to complain to the umpire as early as game four, when he was broken after a lengthy delay to allow incoming spectators to sit down. "Unreal" was his verdict.
(BBC)
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