Andy Murray finding his range ahead of Australian Open after beating Norwegian qualifier to reach second round in Sydney
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Updated 11/01/2022 at 11:57 GMT
Andy Murray is starting to find his form in his preparations for the Australian Open. After losing in the first round in Melbourne last week, Murray quickly dispatched Norwegian qualifier Viktor Durasovic to reach the second round in Sydney. He will next face second-seeded Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia.
Andy Murray of Great Britain plays a shot in his match against Viktor Durasovic of Norway during day three of the Sydney Tennis Classic at Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre on January 11, 2022 in Sydney, Australia.
Image credit: Getty Images
Andy Murray feels like he’s finding his range after stepping up his preparations for the Australian Open by advancing to the second round of the Sydney Tennis Classic.
Murray defeated Norwegian qualifier Viktor Durasovic 6-3, 6-1 to earn his first victory on Australian soil in three years.
The five-time Australian Open finalist was handed a wildcard entry to the Sydney tournament after losing in the first round in Melbourne last week but needed just 72 minutes to dispatch Durasovic.
”It is really nice to get your range here and hopefully I can carry that through to Melbourne,” Murray said in an on-court interview.
"I was hoping to get matches in Melbourne last week, but that didn’t happen. Thankfully the tournament organisers and Tennis Australia agreed to give me the wildcard and the opportunity to play here and I am very grateful for that.”
Murray has also been handed a wildcard to the Australian Open, where he will be competing for the first time since 2019. The two-time Wimbledon champion has struggled to get back to his best after a lengthy layoff following hip surgery. But he only lost one point on his first serve against Durasovic and never faced a break point. He finished with 20 winners and just seven unforced errors.
And while Murray has a history of success in Australia, with two titles in Brisbane, this is actually the first time he’s even visiting Sydney.
“It is my first time in Sydney and it is a beautiful city,” Murray said. “I have been on the Tour for a very long time and it is nice to come to new places and I had heard a lot about it and it hasn’t disappointed.”
This was Murray’s first win in Australia since January 2019.
The former world No 1 will have a tougher test in the next round, as he faces second-seeded Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia.
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