Andy Murray took down Hubert Hurkacz 6-4 6-7 (6-8) 6-3 in a marathon match after 2 hours and 41 minutes to advance to the second round at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna. Murray has won his first match against a top 10 player since 2010.
Murray and Hurkacz met for the third time this year. Hurkacz won their previous two head-to-head matches in Cincinnati (7-6 6-3) and Metz (7-6 6-3).
Murray, who won the Vienna tournament twice in 2014 and 2016, earned two break points in the third game of the first set. Hurkacz fended them off to hold serve for 2-1. Both players held on serve until the ninth game when Murray earned two break points. The British player converted his second chance to take a 5-4 lead, as Hurkacz over-hit a forehand at 30-40, and closed out the first set 6-4 with an unreturned serve.
Hurkacz was not able to convert four break points as Murray rallied from 0-40 down. Murray failed to convert a break point at 3-3, as Hurkacz was serving at 30-40. Murray saved a break point in the next game.
Both players went on serve in their next service games to set up a tie-break. Both players traded two mini-breaks en route to 6-6. Hurkacz saved a match point at 5-6 with a backhand down the line and took a 7-6 lead with an unreturned serve. Hurkacz sealed the second set after 70 minutes, when Murray hit a backhand long.
Hurkacz broke Murray in the first game of the decisive set. Murray pulled the break straight back to draw level to 1-1. The decider went on serve until the sixth game, when Murray converted his first break point to open up a 4-2 lead. Murray held serve for 5-2, but Hurkacz won his service game to force Murray serve for the match.
Murray was not able to convert two match points, as Hurkacz came back to earn two break points. Murray sealed a hard-fought win on his third match point.
“It was a good match that could have gone either way. I was disappointed to drop serve in the opening game of the third set, but thankfully I was able to get the break back in the next game and from from there I probably deserved to get over the line. It was a good win in tough circumstances”, said Murray.
Murray has extended his winning streak to nine matches in Vienna.
“My movement has been getting a little better with each match. A lot of my movement is about anticipation and when you are not playing many matches, like I have not not been in recent years, you don’t read the play quite as well. Now I am starting to see the ball a little earlier and starting to react a little quicker, which means I will start to chase more balls down”.
Hurkacz started the week just 110 points ahead of Sinner. The 20-year-old Italian player will overtake Hurkackz in ninth spot if he reaches the semifinals this week.
