Andy Murray LIVE: Tennis result and final score from Roberto Bautista Agut match at Qatar Open
The Scot’s tournament is over after a 6-0 6-1 defeat to the Spaniard, who advanced to the quarter-finals in Doha
Andy Murray is out of the Qatar Open after Roberto Bautista Agut cruised to a 6-0 6-1 win in their last 16 match on Wednesday.
The Scot made a statement against Taro Daniel in the last round, putting right the defeat to the Japanese player at last month’s Australian Open in the second round, but could not get anything going against Bautista Agut in a one-sided match in Doha.
Murray’s last match against the Spaniard came in that marathon five-set win at the Australian Open three years ago, but the 34-year-old was unable to put up a fight this time around as he lost his serve three times in the opening set as Bautista Agut served up an opening bagel.
Bautista Agut, the tournament’s second seed and world No 17, continued to dominate into the second set and although Murray was able to secure an opening hold, the Spaniard raced clear to convert two further break points and seal the win in a little over an hour.
Murray slammed his racket as his tournament came to a close and the former Wimbledon champion will hope for a longer run at the Dubai Duty Free Championships next week.
Follow live updates from Murray vs Bautista Agut below:
*Murray 0-5 Bautista Agut
A pretty simple hold of serve for Bautista Agut follows, and to love as well.
The 2014 World Cup golden boot winner James Rodriguez is in the crowd enjoying some evening tennis.
The Colombian plays for a side in Qatar now after leaving Everton earlier this season.
Murray 0-4 Bautista Agut*
At 0-15, Murray plays a questionable sliced backhand drop shot, which Bautista Agut is able to reach before sending down the line for a winner.
Murray responds with an ace, before he smacks away a ball in frustration as he follows that up with a double fault to hand Bautista Agut two breaks points.
Bautista Agut snaps up the return as Murray looks to stay in the point, but he eventually loses out as he hits a forehand wide.
And there’s the double break.
*Murray 0-3 Bautista Agut
On 15-15, Bautista Agut forces the play to send Murray behind the baseline, before dispatching the overhead into the corner.
Murray hits back to take it to 30-30 but controlled aggression from Bautista Agut sees the Spaniard close the net before finishing a forehand volley.
Bautista Agut then seals the hold with an ace out wide that clipped the line. Murray challenged but to no avail.
Murray 0-2 Bautista Agut* - Bautista Agut breaks
Bautista Agut races into a 0-15 lead on the Murray serve with a backhand winner down the line.
And wow, the Spaniard again goes after a Murray second serve before ripping a backhand winner straight down the line to bring up 0-30.
Murray can’t find a first serve and he nets on a forehand to hand his opponent three break points.
Murray’s first serve goes long but another weak groundstroke into the net gives Bautista Agut the opening break.
*Murray 0-1 Bautista Agut
There are a few smatterings of ‘C’mon Andy’ as Bautista Agut gets the match underway.
And after losing the first point on a backhand error, Murray chases down a Bautista Agut volley to send a forehand winner down the line!
The Spaniard replies with a winner of his own before a backhand lob from Murray drifts wide.
Murray then advances into the net on the longest point of the match so far, and Bautista Agut can’t find the forehand pass.
Someone’s phone goes off in the crowd, before Murray advances into the net again and wins the point on a smart backhand volley!
But a couple of wild groundstrokes from Murray hands Bautista Agut the opening hold of serve.
Murray vs Bautista Agut
Bautista Agut will serve first with the match soon to get underway.
The Spaniard is the favourite at 8/13 to advance to the next round.
Murray is 6/5 to beat the tournament’s second seed.
Qatar Open: Dan Evans in action, Murray up next
Evans is on serve at 2-2 in the opening set of his match against Davidovich Fokina.
Murray, meanwhile, is next up on the main show court in Doha. The Scot should take to the court in the next few minutes ahead of his match against Bautista Agut.
In fact, Evans has just broken Davidovich Fokina’s serve and now leads 3-2 in the opening set.
Qatar Open: Dan Evans also in action
Dan Evans is also in action this afternoon, as the British men’s No 1 takes on Alejandro Davidovich Fokina for a place in the quarter-finals.
Evans won his opening match in convincing fashion, a straight sets win over Egor Gerasimov, and he is the No 5 seed in Doha this week.
If Evans was to progress to the last eight, he would play the winner of Andy Murray’s match with Roberto Bautista Agut.
Andy Murray to skip clay court season
Andy Murray will skip the French Open and the whole of the clay court season as he plots his course through the rest of 2022.
Murray has entered three tournaments this month, with the Qatar Open the second on his February schedule.
In explaining his decision to miss the French, Murray explained he is focussed on the bigger picture as he prioritises his fitness and the grass court season.
“The past couple of years, the clay has made issues worse; last year I had some issues at the beginning of the year, the clay didn’t help, so I’ve spoken to my team about that and this year while I feel good and healthy, I don’t want to take that risk.
“It’s not that I wouldn’t potentially play on clay in the future. Last year I almost missed Wimbledon, was close to not playing the grass season, I’m not planning on playing the clay. I will still try to compete a bit during that period, I won’t do nothing, that’s my plan just now.
“I had a busy end of last year and the next couple of months I won’t take any risks and hopefully get a good build up to the grass season.”
Qatar Open: Top seed Shapovalov eases through
Denis Shapovalov is through to the quarter-finals of the Qatar Open after easing past Alex Molcan in his opening match earlier today.
Top seed Shapovalov won 6-4, 6-0 in just 73 minutes to advance, after the Canadian was shocked by Jiri Lehecka last week in Rotterdam.
Elsewhere today, Marin Cilic has battled through to the last eight after defeating Botic van de Zandschulp, but there was an upset as seventh seed Alexander Bublik was defeated in three sets by Arthur Rinderknech.
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