Andy Murray out of Australian Open: Briton talks retirement after defeat by Roberto Bautista Agut
Reaction from the first-round match at the Australian Open in Melbourne
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Your support makes all the difference.Andy Murray’s Australian Open is over after losing a thriller to Roberto Bautista Agut in what could be the final match of his career.
Murray is contemplating retirement due to the persistent hip injury that has blighted him for more than two years, with the three-time Grand Slam champion admitting last week that he will retire in 2019, hopefully after one last outing at Wimbledon in the summer.
But such is the pain that he is fighting, Murray could now choose to call it quits now that his Australian Open campaign has come to an end.
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What time does it start?
Murray vs Bautista Agut is due to begin not before 7am, and more likely to be around an 8am start once Kyle Edmund’s match against Tomas Berdych has completed.
Where can I watch it?
The match will be shown live on Eurosport.
Odds
Andy Murray to win: 4/1
Roberto Bautista Agut to win: 1/5
*Murray 4-6, 2-1 Bautista AgutMurray produces a stunning shot - the shot of the match so far - as he sprints wide of the tramline and fires a forehand back across court that flummoxes Bautista Agut. He roars in delight, the crowd respond and it pumps him up to win the next point on serve. Boom - another ace, and Murray holds-to-love emphatically.
Murray 4-6, 2-2 Bautista Agut*You get the sense that Murray knows he needs to win this set to keep any hopes of victory alive, as five sets will surely be too much for him. The two break points, the emphatic hold, he seems to be kicking on a bit, but Bautista Agut stems that tide of momentum immediately with his own hold-to-love service game that levels the set in under two minutes.
*Murray 4-6, 2-3 Bautista AgutBautista Agut is going for the jugular here as he takes the fight to Murray and is duly rewarded by going 0-30 up. Murray produces a good serve though that is returned out, but he can't follow up on the next shot and Bautista Agut has two break points. Murray aces him to pull one back, but after an agonisingly long rally Murray's drop-shot is not good enough and the Spaniard fires it back to break him.
Murray 4-6, 2-4 Bautista Agut*Just like that, Bautista Agut rallies through his service game to extend his lead, and Murray faces a huge ask to avoid losing the second set now. He must hold serve and break Bautista Agut within the next four games...
*Murray 4-6, 3-4 Bautista AgutMurray wisely spots a Bautista Agut return that is going long, handing him a 30-15 lead in a game he can't afford to lose. He follows up with a lovely backhand down the line that brings a big cheer from the crowd, but in a bid to win the game he fires a backhand into the net. However, a long return wraps up the game for Murray, but now comes the big task to try and break him.
The family are here to watch...
Andy Murray's brother Jamie and mother Judy watch on inside the Hisense Arena
Murray 4-6, 3-5 Bautista Agut*A weary-looking return from Murray suggests that there won't be anything close to a break, and in what felt like a handful of seconds, Bautista Agut rattles off a game-to-love. Murray needs to hold to avoid going two sets down.
*Murray 4-6, 4-5 Bautista AgutAnother poor effort from Murray sees him hit a simple return straight back into the net, and he reacts with an almost-beaten wave of the arms that is a bleak sign of what looks like it's coming. A well-placed serve sets up a smart drop-shot that Bautista Agut has no chance of reaching and Murray follows it with a winner that brings a hopeful cheer from the partisan crowd that desperately want to see him make a fight of it.
He responds, and forces another error from Bautista Agut as he returns long, but he HAS to win the next game to keep the second set alive.
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