Andy Murray wows with 'incredible' shot in epic victory over Matteo Berrettini at Australian Open - 'That is amazing!'

Updated 17/01/2023 at 09:42 GMT

Britain's Andy Murray produced a performance to remember as he battled past 13th seed Matteo Berrettini in five sets to reach the second round of the Australian Open. For all the enthralling efforts and rallies, there was one shot that clearly stood out from the 35-year-old at a key moment in the fifth set. Murray somehow managed to win a point with a reaction volley while looking the wrong way.

'That is amazing!' - Murray pulls off stunning no-look winner

Andy Murray pulled off a miracle volley without even looking at the court during his epic five-set victory over Matteo Berrettini at the Australian Open on Tuesday.

Murray came through the brutal encounter on Rod Laver Arena in thrilling fashion by prevailing in a deciding-set tie-break to reach the second round, where he will face either home favourite Thanasi Kokkinakis or another Italian, Fabio Fognini.

The Brit overcame the doughty Berrettini 6-3 6-3 4-6 6-7(7) 7-6(6) as he produced one of his finest performances in recent years to secure an opening win at the first Grand Slam of the season at Melbourne Park.

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Perhaps a key moment in the match came at 30-30 on the Murray serve with Berrettini leading 2-1 in the final set.

The Brit looked out of the point as the Italian hit a forehand down the line to Murray's backhand, but amazingly, the 35-year-old managed to throw himself backwards to make the volley - all without even managing to look at the side of the court he was playing the shot into.

It was a staggering effort, particularly given his hip surgeries, and a massive turning point as Murray ensured that Berrettini could not continue his momentum and potentially break once more.

"Oh, wow, what a stretch from Murray there," exclaimed Eurosport's Arvind Parmar.

Adam Fielder added on commentary: "That is incredible! To find that pace behind it too.

"He was completely turned away from the court there when he made contact with it.

"That is amazing! Berrettini's reaction says it all. The contrast."

'I'm very proud of myself' - Murray delighted after epic win over Berrettini

Murray’s win over the 2021 Wimbledon finalist is his first over a top 20 player in a Grand Slam since 2017, and it was one that he clearly cherished.

Speaking to Eurosport shortly after the match, Murray said, “I have really put a lot of work in the last three months.

"I have been playing well in practice, but in the last couple of years, I've lost a few of these matches in the Slams, like one to [Stefanos] Tsitsipas at the US Open, a tight one with [John] Isner at Wimbledon, and yeah, that one could have got away from me.

“I think all the work that I've put in these last few months paid off there at the end, and yes, I was a little bit lucky on the match point, but I earned that. I mean, I stayed remarkably calm at the end."