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, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5) 1-2 Bautista Agut*Bautista Agut is starting to struggle on his own serve now, something that was non-existent in the first two sets, and when Murray comes charging in, he sends a return wide to make it 30-30. Murray berates himself though when he produces an error of his own, and a beautiful forehand across the court flashes past Murray to hold serve.
That really was quite the winner from Bautista Agut.
*Murray 4-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5) 2-2 Bautista AgutMurray takes the first point comfortably and again, avoids any needless running as he stands and strikes from the baseline. Bautista Agut follows by returning into the net and Murray has a little word with someone in the crowd who distracted him while preparing to serve, and another long return puts him comfortably ahead 40-0.
Bautista Agut gets into the next point though and again finds that forehand down the left that leaves Murray no hope, and he wobbles on the next shot with a sliced backhand that floats long. Alarm bells are ringing slightly at 40-30, and Murray does the unthinkable when he double-faults.
Deuce, and Bautista Agut can sense blood here. Murray responds with a wide serve that gets his opponent on the run and he returns into the net, and he holds emphatically before geeing up the crowd. Important hold that one.
Murray 4-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5) 2-3 Bautista Agut*Bautista Agut is quickly out to 3-0 but when Murray comes rushing into the net, he panics and mis-hits a shot alarmingly short. Murray is limping badly after that one, but he soldiers on, only to fire his return miles long and hand him the game.
If you were in any doubt over who the crowd want to win
Fans cheer on Andy Murray inside the Hisense Arena
*Murray 4-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5) 3-3 Bautista AgutMurray is in major pain, that much is obvious. He jumps into the air when returning to take all the weight off his bad hip, and the result is a long shot that puts Bautista Agut 0-30 up. Murray fights back, a nice forehand winner closing the gap, and when Murray goes for the drop-shot Bautista Agut mistakenly fires wide with the court at his mercy.
That's 30-30, and when both come rushing to the net, the Spaniard blinks first to put his effort wide just as the match clock ticks past three hours. What a slog this has been, and Murray produces his fourth point in a row to hold serve. Brilliant stuff.
Murray 4-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5) 3-4 Bautista Agut*A hobbling Murray grimaces as he puts one into the net for 30-0, and while the third set was one of resilience and grit, this is more one of pain and suffering. Bautista Agut holds-to-love with a powerful smash winner, and the pressure is back on Murray.
*Murray 4-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 4-4 Bautista AgutA long rally falls in Murray's favour, which has been the opposite throughout the match. Now Murray is in his stride, and back-to-back points puts him 40-0 up and looking to hold with ease. A thunderous serve is judged wide, and despite a challenge it's no good, and on second serve Bautista Agut claws a point back with an easy winner.
Murray is then judged to have double-faulted, but he challenges immediately and it's one the line, and he takes his frustration out with a second-serve ace to wrap up the game.
Murray 4-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 4-5 Bautista Agut*Murray produces a brilliant passing shot but somehow Bautista Agut makes it and his return falls on the tram line to give him the point. He then follows up with a brilliant passing shot across Murray to go 30-0 up, and Murray goes for a volley drop-shot that clips into the net. That just sucks the fight out of Murray a touch as he lazily hits one long to give Bautista Agut the game.
*Murray 4-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 5-5 Bautista AgutBautista Agut returns long - his challenge confirms it - to give Murray and early advantage. An identical shot clears the baseline, and it's 40-0 when Murray's drop-shot stretches Bautista Agut who can only return into the net. A big serve forces him long, and that's the game for Murray.
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