‘Very, very happy’ Murray back in business with ‘new beginning’
IT was a grind but Andy Murray won’t care one bit. All that matters is that he’s back.
Almost 14 months after his last grand slam appearance and nearly nine months on from hip surgery, Murray battled past the Australian, James Duckworth, easing into the second round with a 6-7, 6-3, 7-5, 6-3 victory.
As Duckworth’s forehand fell in the net on Murray’s first match point, the Scot raised his arms above his head before a single fistpump, the celebration a combination of satisfaction and relief after the toughest period of his career.
“I’m very, very happy to be back,” Murray said, the sweat dripping down his face after three hours, 18 minutes, by 16 minutes the longest of the eight matches he has now played since returning to the Tour in June.
“At times it was tricky, really lively,” he said. “James was serving big, playing a lot of drop shots and throwing me off my rhythm. I’m happy I managed to get through it and at times played some good tennis.
“I made a bit of a change on the return, standing back a bit more, and that gave me more time to get into the rallies a bit more. I improved from there.”
The match was played in searing conditions, with temperatures topping 90 Fahrenheit (32 Celsius), on the new Louis Armstrong Stadium, a revamped arena equipped with a rather snazzy new roof.
After losing the first set, an early break at the start of the second set, in the third game, settled him down and he broke again in the eighth game as he levelled the match at one set apiece.
As the match wore on, Murray seemed to grow in confidence, his backhand looking rock solid, his serve effective if a few miles an hour short of top pace.
Above all, his know-how and court nous has not suffered from his absence from the Tour.
Time and again, as Duckworth looked to come forward, Murray would play a controlled passing shot, looking to make the Australian volley up, before taking advantage of anything short.
One break, right at the end of the set, put Murray two sets to one up but when he dropped serve at the start of the fourth, a decider looked possible, Murray dumping his racket on the ground in disgust.
But 31-year-old Murray broke back immediately to lead 3-1 and though he was broken back for 3-2, he snatched another break in the next game when Duckworth coughed up one of his 12 double faults.
Serving for the match at 5-3, Murray led 30-0 before missing an easy drive volley and then double-faulting to allow Duckworth a sniff.
But on the next point, the way he scampered forward to pick up a stop volley from Duckworth and guided it down the line, was almost vintage Murray, prompting a fist pump.
It gave him a first match point and he made no mistake, slamming a forehand down the line which Duckworth could only hack back into the net.
Murray admitted: “It’s like a new beginning.”
Murray will now play the veteran Spaniard Fernando Verdasco, the No.31 seed, for a place in the third round.