Murray agony rumbles on

– World No 1 Andy Murray (below) found his stunning defeat hard to swallow after 50th-ranked Mischa Zverev extended his Australian Open agony in the fourth round yesterday.

Murray, who has lost five finals in Melbourne, again left without the trophy after he fell to the inspired Zverev 7-5, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 in a three-hour, 34-minute classic.

This time, Murray departs in week one after failing to capitalise on the second-round defeat of sixtime champion Novak Djokovic, so often his nemesis at the tournament.

“I’ve had tough losses in my career in the past. I’ve come back from them. This is a tough one,” Murray said.

“I’m sure I’ll come back okay from it. But right now I’m obviously very down because I wanted to go further in this event, and it wasn’t to be.”

Murray looked set to break his Melbourne Grand Slam jinx when his arch-rival Djokovic, who has beaten him in four finals, was dumped out by Denis Istomin.

The British top seed refused to concede that it was a big opportunity lost after he was ambushed by serve-and-volley specialist Zverev, a former rival from their junior days.

“Did I miss an opportunity? I don’t know. I mean, every year you come is a different chance, different opportunity,” Murray said.

“I mean, still even had I got through this match, (Kei) Nishikori or Roger (Federer) are waiting. Stan’s (Wawrinka) still in.

“There’s no guarantees, even if I got through today’s match, that I would have gone further.”

Murray was coming off a magnificent 2016 which included a second Wimbledon crown, a successful Olympic title defence and replacing Djokovic to become world No 1 for the first time.

“I’m obviously down about it. It’s just tennis. I had great success for a number of months,” he said.

“Obviously in the biggest events you want to do your best. That’s not been the case here. You know, it happens.” – AFP