Andy Murray loses to Fernando Verdasco in US Open second round – as it happened
Andy Murray was knocked out in the second round of the US Open in New York
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Your support makes all the difference.Andy Murray faced one of his toughest challenges yet on his comeback from hip surgery as he took on No 31 seed Fernando Verdasco in the second round of the US Open.
The former world No 1 played down his chances of winning a second title at Flushing Meadows as he looks to continue his gradual return to action, and after beating Australian James Duckworth in the first round, his reward was a tricky task against the current world No 32.
Murray has played higher-ranked opposition since returning to action – most notably his fellow Briton Kyle Edmund – but this was his first Grand Slam back since Wimbledon last year. Verdasco will now take on either Denis Kudla or former US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro in the third round.
Re-live the live action below...
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*Murray 5-7 6-2 1-4 Verdasco (* denotes next server)
And he does it!
A bold, brave, ambitious game from Murray means he breaks - and he's very much in this again.
Murray 5-7 6-2 2-4 Verdasco* (* denotes next server)
More comebacks than Craig David from your man Andy Murray here.
It looked like he was dead and buried early on in this set - Verdasco was dominating, and Murray looked physically and mentally drained.
But he does what he needs to do and holds here to turn up the heat on Verdasco - who needs to hold his nerve now.
*Murray 5-7 6-2 3-4 Verdasco (* denotes next server)
Verdasco holds with relative ease.
Verdasco probably has the edge of Murray here, at least as far as fitness goes: he's skipping around the court with ease, and has won 83% of net points compared to Murray's 35%.
Murray 5-7 6-2 3-5 Verdasco* (* denotes next server)
Murray really needs to hold this serve - or, at least, serve better in the second set.
He's only made 48% of his first serves - but he unleashes one of the biggest forehands he's hit today to peg Verdasco back at 40-15.
From then, it's easy for him to finish the job - he gives the best of himself as this game inches towards an intriguing conclusion.
*Murray 5-7 6-2 4-5 Verdasco (* denotes next server)
As if to emphasise the point I made in the last post: Verdasco has made 78% of first serves.
Murray will have to take some more risks if he wants to take the game to the Spaniard, but Verdasco returns smartly as Murray misjudges the flight of the ball and misses what should be a routine forehand.
Murray has made more than double the number of unforced errors his opponent has - but manages to fashion a return for the baseline to bamboozle Verdasco and draw level at 30-30.
Verdasco takes the third set
*Murray 5-7 6-2 4-6 Verdasco (* denotes next server)
You can't help but feel the two breaks Verdasco got earlier on were the key there - Murray has battled, but Verdasco shone and dictated there.
It's been a finely-poised encounter, but only 46% of Murray's first serves were in play, and he made 11 unforced errors. Yikes.
Heat break
*Murray 5-7 6-2 4-6 Verdasco (* denotes next server)
The pair take advantage of the new heat break rule - they'll be off for ten minutes.
Murray was solid in the second set but went down too early in the third following the early break. It's been weird watching him, to be honest - he's battled manfully, but missed shots he would have returned with ease a few months ago.
He looked unhappy as he sat down for a heat break. He knows he has to go the distance now, which won't please him given this rest period will give power player Verdasco a chance to recharge his batteries.
Murray is a better player mentally than Verdasco, who will benefit from the chance to clear the brain flog that must surely have clouded his mind after over two hours of tennis.
*Murray 5-7 6-2 4-6 Verdasco (* denotes next server)
Interesting dissection of Andy Murray's mental state on Amazon Prime as we gear up for the fourth set. Is he cautious because of his injury?
Murray is out first, but we have some news: the winner of this will face Argentine Juan Martín Del Potro - one of the crowd favourites here. He's just defeated America's Denis Kudla in straight sets on the Lewis Armstrong court.
Murray 5-7 6-2 4-6 0-0 Verdasco* (* denotes next server)
For the record, Andy was FUMING when he came off for the heat break, and the epitome of sarcasm as he asked if the break had already started. He didn't know the clock began ticking as soon as he left the court.
His serve percentages have already been better here - he really needs to hold this, and make sure he doesn't get distracted in this crucial fourth set.
It all means our friends at Amazon Prime have just uttered some actual poetry: "Verdasco doesn't want to be tossing some gasoline on the fire that burns so deeply in Andy Murray and turn it into an inferno."
Murray 5-7 6-2 4-6 0-0 Verdasco* (* denotes next server)
Murray victorious in the first exchange - he's up and running in the fourth set and has given himself the start he would have needed.
If Murray can dictate in this set and marry daring with control - he didn't ever really happen upon the right kind of balance until long after the early breaks in the third set - we could be in for a contest filled with many more twists and turns yet.
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