Andy Murray secured a hard-fought victory over Matteo Berrettini at the Miami Open, winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a match that lasted 2 hours and 49 minutes. Berrettini, playing his first ATP Tour match of the season, showed signs of fatigue during the encounter, even leaning on his racket for support at one point.
In the second set, with Murray leading 5-2, Berrettini appeared dizzy and had to be attended to by a medical professional who checked his blood pressure. Despite his struggles, Berrettini managed to finish the match after dropping the second set.
This match was a rematch of their epic clash at the 2023 Australian Open, where Murray emerged victorious in a grueling five-set battle that lasted over 4 1/2 hours.
Murray, a three-time Grand Slam champion, expressed satisfaction with his performance, stating, 'It was obviously a great win for me. Started off a little bit slow but then I did think I played pretty well across the end of the first set through to the end of the match.'
Berrettini, who has been plagued by injuries, had not played a tour match since retiring from the 2022 U.S. Open. The Italian player returned to action last week and reached the final of a Challenger tour tournament in Phoenix.
With this victory, Murray, a two-time Miami Open champion, joined an elite group of active players with 30 wins at the event, including Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. He is set to face Tomas Etcheverry in the second round.
Other Results from the Miami Open
In other matches on the first full day of the tournament, Sloane Stephens defeated Angelique Kerber 6-2, 6-3, while Naomi Osaka, a two-time U.S. Open champion, played her opening-round match at night.
Donna Vekic outlasted Karolina Pliskova 6-4, 2-6, 6-2, and Americans Danielle Collins and Shelby Rogers advanced with three-set victories. On the men's side, Denis Shapovalov overcame Luciano Darderi 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-4, and Martin Damm Jr. defeated China's Zhang Zhizhen 7-6 (2), 7-6 (3).
Overall, the first day of the Miami Open featured thrilling matches and standout performances from top players, setting the stage for an exciting tournament ahead.
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