Off twist ending to blockbuster display

can’t put weight on your foot. But it is just a bit stiff now. It’s OK. I don’t think I’ve done too much damage. But I was moving fine towards the end of the match.”

Murray was doing a lot of things “fine”. The nerves that hampered him in the opening round had gone, his serve was working well and once he had sized up Rublev, right, in the opening few games, he got to work. “I did pretty good,” he said. “I was hitting the ball a bit cleaner, hitting through the court more. More winners. I was able to get myself up to the net more.

“I served way better too. Most things were better tonight. But I still think I can improve.”

Now in the third round, he faces Sam Querrey, the big-serving American who shocked Novak Djokovic in the third round at Wimbledon last summer. Murray has won six of their seven previous encounters and, with one of the best returns in the business, he relishes the challenge of the power players.

“Obviously he had a big win a couple of Slams ago against Novak,” said Murray. “I’m aware of that and I’ll be ready.”

Nick Kyrgios, Australia’s gifted but troubled hope, thought he was ready for the challenge of Italian Andreas Seppi and, at two sets up yesterday, he appeared to be in total control. But then, as only he can, he had a meltdown, barely tried in the fourth set and lost 1-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-2, 10-8. He was not helped by a knee injury caused by playing basketball in the off-season rather than training properly. The crowd, desperate for some home-grown success, lost patience with the world No13 and booed him off the court. Unsurprisingly, Kyrgios admitted that he needed to work harder.

“I’ve got to start taking it more seriously,” he said. “My body’s not in good enough shape. You live and you learn.”

Unfortunately for Kyrgios, he never seems to learn.