‘Life in the old dog yet’ – Andy Murray beats Matteo Berrettini in Miami
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Andy Murray persevered through a weakening Matteo Berrettini to progress to the next stage of the Miami Open.
The ex-top player of the world inscribed on the camera placed beside the court that there is still some vigor left in him, following his remarkable comeback win.
Since his first time in Miami 18 years ago, he has had many joyful experiences there. Two of those experiences were winning in 2009 and 2013. Now, as he plans to make his last appearance there, he is hopeful for one final chance to achieve glory.
Murray was in danger of losing in the first round when he lost the first set, but he made a comeback. Berrettini, who was playing in his first ATP Tour match since the US Open, experienced dizziness and Murray took advantage of the opportunity to win 4-6 6-3 6-4.
The individual from Italy has returned after experiencing long-term injury difficulties that affected his performance towards the end of the match. However, he began the game positively by successfully breaking Murray in the first game and finishing it off with an intense forehand shot along the line.
36-year-old Murray had two opportunities to regain an advantage at 3-2, but was unable to convert them, which ultimately benefited Berrettini thanks to his powerful serving, enabling him to secure the initial set.
During the second set, Murray's performance got better and he got an opportunity during a long sixth game. He eventually managed to break his opponent by returning a nicely executed forehand shot on his third attempt.
Berrettini's condition worsened during the game when he was about to serve at 2-5. He experienced dizziness and had to rely on his racket to support himself to prevent him from collapsing.
The Italian had his blood pressure examined by medical professionals and after a lengthy pause, he resumed play. However, Murray quickly forced the match into a final set.
When the Scottish tennis player triumphed in a 12-minute game on Berrettini's serve at the beginning, it was evident that he was likely to succeed.
Murray demonstrated clever tactics in tennis, exhausting his opponent by making them move from one side of the court to the other. The opponent, who had previously competed in Wimbledon finals, continued to struggle.
In the middle of the final set, Murray had to overcome a tough situation where he was down 0-40, but he managed to push through and emerge as the victorious player. This win marked only his fourth victory in the year 2024, halting Berrettini's efforts for the day.
Earlier, Jack Draper displayed a confident performance and defeated Taro Daniel to make it to the next round.
The athlete from Great Britain, who is currently placed at 42nd position globally, defeated his competitor from Japan with a score of 6-3 6-2 within a time span of 69 minutes. As a result, he has secured his position in the second-round where he will be facing the 22nd seed player named Nicolas Jarry.
After a letdown in Indian Wells, Draper aimed to recover and played exceptionally well against the 78th ranked player in Florida. He delivered 25 winners and had an impressive 97% success rate on his initial serve, showcasing his superiority on the court.
