That’s more like it, Andy
Murray makes flying start to French Open campaign
Never try to second-guess Andy Murray’s level of performance. That was the lesson of his firstround match here yesterday, in which he swept aside Andrey Kuznetsov in four quick sets.
OK, Murray was sketchy at times during his 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 victory. But it was still a sight better than his first two rounds in Paris last year, when he was extended to five sets by Radek Stepanek and Mathias Bourgue. Perhaps he should catch the flu more often.
After Angelique Kerber had suffered a first-round defeat on Sunday, the record books came out, revealing that the immediate loss of both top seeds had never happened at any grand slam since the start of the Open era in 1968.
The very fact that this statistic was doing the rounds yesterday shows how low expectations were for Murray. He had won just a single match in the past month, against an opponent ranked outside the top 100. His various ailments – which have included shingles, two unspecified viruses and a torn elbow tendon since the start of the season – suggested a travelling doctor should be added to his support staff.
Would he raise his level against Kuznetsov, the world No 73? The early answer was “a little”. But there were still reasons to be fearful as he lost four of his first 10 service games, showing a familiar lack of assertiveness and bite. As Kuznetsov moved towards parity at one set apiece, Murray was sending applause in the direction of his player’s box, and curling his fingers in the universal “OK” sign – all with a horribly sarcastic edge.
The match turned at the beginning of the third set. Murray started with a hard-fought service game, during which his team were particularly vocal in support. They had identified this as the critical stage of the contest and even head coach Ivan Lendl – who usually offers only stony impassivity – barked, “C’mon Andy, let’s go”.
Murray held, and on the second point of the next game, he performed one of the minor tennis miracles that have helped him to the top of the world rankings.
Caught out of position by a classic drop-shot/lob combination, he turned on a sixpence, dashed towards the backboard, and sent a steepling lob into the air with his back to the net. Amazingly, the ball landed with pinpoint precision, and Kuznetsov then whacked his attempted smash into the net.
The point drew Murray’s coaches to their feet and clearly galvanised him. “It was a good get,” he said. “I thought I wouldn’t be able to reach it, but I did. He made a couple of simple errors after that. I got the break, and didn’t look back.”
Indeed, Murray would reign unchallenged for the rest of the match. As he closed it out with a sequence of eight straight games, he was almost in exhibition mode.
“When you’re two sets to one up and 4-0 or 5-0, it’s a bit easier to have the freedom to try a drop shot or a lob or a big return,” he said. “I started to move a bit better towards the end. [But] I think I can do some things a bit better than I did today.”
Murray’s next opponent is Martin Klizan, the Slovakian who was involved in an ill-tempered match yesterday with French qualifier Laurent Lokoli. Klizan had come into the tournament with a calf injury, and his indisposition seemed to wax and wane depending on how the match was going.
Lokoli took exception to what he later described as “disrespectful” behaviour and at one point the umpire had to jump down from his chair to break up a shouting match between the players.
Finally, Kyle Edmund defeated Gaston Elias 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 to become the third Briton to reach the second round alongside Murray and Aljaz Bedene.