ANDY’S NO LAME DUCK
US OPEN SCOTS ACE BACK IN BUSINESS World No.1 Halep bags another 1st to forget
ANDY MURRAY admitted it felt like a new beginning as he marked his return to Grand Slam action with victory at the new-look Louis Armstrong Stadium.
The former world No.1 answered questions over his fitness as he was forced to dig deep before finally seeing off plucky Australian James Duckworth in four sets.
It’s baby steps rather than giant leaps for Murray but he showed he still has guts and determination with a 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 7-5 6-3 win.
After 14 months without playing in a major it was a big moment as he set up a second-round tie with Fernando Verdasco.
Murray said: “I’ve lost a lot of matches on Louis From GAVIN BERRY in New York Armstrong but it’s like a new beginning in the beautiful new stadium. It was a great atmosphere for the first day of the tournament and I’m very happy to be back.
“At times it was tricky, especially early in the match.
“It was very hot and the ball was flying around.
“James was serving big, playing a lot of drop shots and throwing me off my rhythm a lot.
“So I’m happy I managed to get through that and play some good stuff at times.
“Once I got into the rallies I was a bit more comfortable. I found my range with the groundstrokes.”
Murray made errors you wouldn’t associate with a three-time Grand Slam champion – there was a fresh-air shot in the third set – and that led to frustration.
But the Scot managed to grind out the all-important victory and that was all that mattered in the end ahead of much tougher challenges than the player ranked 448 in the world.
Murray is one of seven former champions in the US Open men’s field but, having dropped to 378 in the world, is the one with least expectations.
After more than 411 days, thousands of hours of rehabilitation and plenty of soul-searching this was the moment Murray finally made his Grand Slam return.
It was his first appearance at Flushing Meadows since blowing a two-set lead against Japan’s Kei Nishikori in an epic quarter-final two years ago.
His body would have been unlikely to cope with a repeat of that clash, which lasted just short of four hours, as he tried to ease himself back. But he was tested more than many might have expected.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder and while the 14,000-capacity stadium was nowhere near full, there were huge cheers from those who turned out as Murray was interviewed pre-match.
Duckworth made life difficult and the Aussie saved two set points in the final game of the first set to force a tie-break.
Murray then found himself 3-0 down and despite clawing back those points to level at 5-5, the Scot eventually lost it 7-5.
He was a bit more like his old self in the second set when he broke early for a 2-1 lead and held out to level.
You would have expected Duckworth to wilt but he kept hanging in there until he was broken in the final game of the third set.
The Aussie broke Murray in the first game of the fourth set as he refused to lie down.
The Dunblane ace then won three games on the spin to put himself in pole position but couldn’t finish off his rival who broke back again. Murray got there in the end though with another break to book his place in the second round. SIMONA HALEP last night became the first women’s top seed in the Open era to exit in the first round in New York.
The 26-year-old’s Grand Slam bid lasted one hour and 15 minutes as Kaia Kanepi of Estonia blasted her way to a 6-2 6-4 victory.
Halep, who also crashed to Maria Sharapova at the same stage last year, has now lost in the first round of Slams 12 times.
The Romanian, who will remain world No.1, said: “Every player is struggling a little bit in the first round.
“It’s always about the nerves. Even when you are there at the top you feel the same nerves.
“You are human so it’s the same thing. For me, it’s more difficult in the first rounds because I’m more emotional. That’s why I need a good start. But I’m not scared about that.
“I have won so many first rounds and also tournaments after tough first rounds. I’m not focusing on that but sometimes it can happen and today happened. It’s not a drama but it’s tough.”
Frustration for Halep boiled over in the second game of the second set when she smashed her racquet, earning a warning from the umpire.
It was the sixth time in the Open era the No.1 seed has lost in the first round of a Grand Slam and the first at the US.
Kanepi said: “Players are playing more equal. There are not many players any more who are leading the game.
“Everybody can beat everybody on a good day.”
Heather Watson lost in the first round for the eighth successive year as she went down 6-1 3-6 6-3 to Ekaterina Makarova.
The Brit won her first senior matches at Flushing Meadows to come through qualifying but couldn’t follow that up against the Russian in the main draw.