Briton Andy Murray, 66th in the world, saved a match point before beating Italian Matteo Berrettini (14th), 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-7 (7/9), 7-6 (10/6) in 4:49, qualifying for the second round of the Australian Open, this Tuesday in Melbourne.
“I will feel it pass tonight and tomorrow, but right now I am incredibly happy and proud of myself,” commented the five-time finalist in Melbourne (2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016).
“I have worked a lot in recent months to be able to play at this level in stadiums like this (the Rod Laver Arena), in matches like this, against players like Matteo”, underlined the player of 35 years.
Under the eyes of his coach Ivan Lendl, winner of the Australian Major in 1989 and 1990, Murray saved a match point at 5-4 on his serve in the fifth set before benefiting from the help of the net on the match point of the “super tie-break”.
He will face the Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis (159th) or another Italian, Fabio Fognini (57th) on Thursday.
Berrettini, almost ten years younger and a semi-finalist last year, nevertheless played very well and was able to rely on his enormous serve (31 aces, including 10 in the fifth set alone) and on his power in general (72 winning strokes including 18 in the deciding round).
The Scottish warrior
But the Scottish warrior was never used to giving up. And if his statistics are less brilliant than those of his rival (10 aces, 40 winning moves), he also committed fewer unforced errors (34 against 59).
But above all, the man with the metallic hip still has the steel mind that led him to form the Big 4 alongside Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
This is how he did not flinch on the match point to defend and quickly broke away in the super tie break to lead 8/3.
At 8/5, he missed a seemingly easy forehand attack that would have given him four match points. On the contrary, he allowed Berrettini to return to 8/6.
But at 9/6, his ball snagged by the net was slowed enough to fall out of reach in Berrettini’s half.
Much more than a victory for Zverev
A few minutes later, an immense cry of rage tinged with relief rose from the Margaret Court field: Alexander Zverev (13th and former N.2) had just beaten the Peruvian Juan Pablo Varillas, 103rd at ATP , after more than four hours of combat.
But for the German, it was about much more than a simple victory: the ligaments of the right ankle torn in the middle of the semi-final of Roland-Garros while leading against Rafael Nadal (7-6, 6 -6), he had surgery in June and only returned to competition in January for two straight-set defeats in the United Cup against Jiri Lehecka (81st) and Taylor Fritz (9th).
“Whatever happens now, this tournament is a success for me,” he said.
“I’m exhausted… but extremely happy. I missed all this very much. This game alone is enough to justify all the work done,” to come back, the 25-year-old explained.
He will play Thursday against the French Laurent Lokoli (175th) or the American Michael Mmoh (107th).
Jabeur drops a set but climbs to the second round
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For her part, the Tunisian Ons Jabeur (N.2 world) had to fight to qualify for the second round of the Australian Open by dismissing the Slovenian Tamara Zidansek (N.98) 7-6 (10/8) , 4-6, 6-1, Tuesday in Melbourne.
In difficulty on her first serves, the 28-year-old player, finalist at Wimbledon and the US Open last year, committed numerous unforced errors (49), conceding the second set before breaking her opponent 6-1 in the deciding set.
Jabeur, who reached the quarter-finals in Melbourne in 2020, will face the American Alison Riske-Amritraj (49th) or the Czech Marketa Vondrousova (86th) in the second round.
On the side of the French, Caroline Garcia, 4th in the world and candidate for the title, could face her French compatriot Alizé Cornet, quarter-finalist last year, in a trap match of the second round.
But if the winner of the Masters will be there on Thursday, after a clear victory over the Canadian Katherine Sebov (190th and qualifying finish) 6-3, 6-0 – “The first six-seven games were close, but to succeed in the break freed me, ”commented Garcia-Cornet, she will miss it.
She was indeed beaten by another Canadian, Leylah Fernandez (40th), 7-5, 6-2.
