Andy Murray conceded he might “need to accept” he is no longer capable of reaching the latter stages at Grand Slams after a demoralising straight-sets loss to Grigor Dimitrov in the US Open second round.
The 36-year-old Murray, the 2012 US Open champion, produced a flat display in his 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 defeat to 19th seed Dimitrov, and has not been past the last 32 at a major in six years.
“It’s obviously disappointing, to not play how you would like, you know,” said Murray, who hit 45 unforced errors and just 16 winners.
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“But maybe I need to accept that, you know, these events, I had the deep runs and everything that I felt like I’m capable of, they might not be there, as well.”
A three-time Grand Slam champion and eight-time runner-up, Murray has not been close to replicating his best since a litany of injury problems which threatened to end his career.
He missed the Cincinnati Open earlier this month with an abdominal problem sustained the previous week in Toronto, but felt he arrived in New York playing at his highest level since 2017.
“I’m aware what I’m doing, it’s unbelievably challenging to play at the highest level as I am now,” said Murray.
“Some days it’s harder than others. But yeah, today is obviously a really disappointing defeat and probably the manner of it as well. I fought hard enough, but just didn’t play well enough.
“Ultimately these are the events that you want to play your best tennis in, and, you know, create more great moments and didn’t do that this year.”
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The former world number one has not made the second week of a Grand Slam since reaching the quarter-finals at Wimbledon in 2017.
“I still enjoy everything that goes into playing at a high level. I enjoy the work. You know, the training and trying to improve and trying to get better, I do still enjoy that,” said Murray.
“That’s what keeps me going. If things change and I stop enjoying that or my results, my ranking and everything, like, if I start to go backwards in that respect, you know, in a few months’ time I was ranked 60 in the world or whatever instead of moving up the way, things might change.”
Dimitrov, who saved three match points in the opening round, goes on to face 2020 runner-up Alexander Zverev for a place in the last 16.
“I was expecting honestly five sets in a way, so I was constantly trying to remind myself I was here for the long haul,” said Dimitrov, who won a 63-minute first set to take charge against Murray.
“We’ve played multiple times, he’s a tremendous competitor. I’m very happy with the fight.” Dimitrov, once ranked third at his peak, reached the US Open semi-finals in 2019 but had fallen in the second round in each of his past three trips.
“I had great memories in 2019. I would love to repeat that and why not go further.”
ISNER’S EMOTIONAL FAREWELL
John Isner brought the curtain down on his tennis career in a five-set loss to fellow American Michael Mmoh in the second round at the US Open.
The 38-year-old Isner surrendered a two-set lead as world number 89 Mmoh saved a match point and came back to win 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4, 7-6 (10/7) in just under four hours.
“It’s tough,” said an emotional Isner, who buried his head in his towel while soaking up the adulation of the Grandstand crowd.
“This is why I’ve worked as hard as I have my whole life, to play in atmospheres like this. Of course I don’t win them all, as we know.
“Just like today, to play in front of this crowd, to have the support I have, is pretty special.
“So thank you.”
The big-serving Isner, who famously took part in the longest tennis match ever played at the 2010 Wimbledon Championships, announced last week his plans to retire after the US Open.
He was a quarter-finalist at Flushing Meadows in 2011 and 2018, the same year he also reached the last four at Wimbledon.
Isner departs as the ATP Tour’s all-time leader in aces with 14,470. He was the top-ranked American in the year-end rankings for nine straight years from 2012-2020 and finished inside the top 20 in the world rankings for a decade from 2010-2019.
Isner has won 16 ATP singles titles — including the 2018 Miami Masters — and eight doubles titles. He was a US Davis Cup regular, posting 15 singles victories and two doubles victories in 18 appearances in the international tournament.
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But it is arguably his record-breaking epic with Mahut at Wimbledon for which Isner will be best remembered, as he won the fifth set 70-68 to conclude an 11-hour epic spanning three days.
“I want to give a massive congrats to John. Unbelievable career. Obviously this is a special moment for me but even more special for John,” said Mmoh, who matched his best Grand Slam run.
“Everything he’s done the last 20 years. He’s been top 20 for 10 years in a row. Stuff like that isn’t easy to do.”
AUSTRALIANS IN ACTION
Meanwhile, Alex de Minaur continues to lead the charge for Australia after the World No.13 took care of Wu Yibing in straight sets (6-1, 6-2, 6-1).
It was a dominant showing from de Minaur, who made quick work of Wu by claiming the first set in just 24 minutes.
De Minaur rarely looked trouble and was clinical as the Australian won 83 per cent of first serve points and made just 10 unforced errors compared to 36 from Wu.
The win sees de Minaur progress into the third round at the US Open for the fifth time in the past six years, with either World No.25 Nicolas Jarry or American wildcard Alex Michelsen to follow.
Chris O’Connell is also in action later on Friday, facing a stern test as he comes up against World No.3 Daniil Medvedev.
Medvedev opened his account with a 6-1, 6-1, 6-0 thrashing of Hungary’s Attila Balazs in just 74 minutes.
“That’s probably the fastest three-set match I played,” Medvedev said after his blistering demolition of Balazs.
O’Connell, meanwhile, eliminated fellow Australian Max Purcell in a four-set victory and will be looking to score the biggest win of his career to join de Minaur and Rinky Hijikata as the only Australian men left in the tournament.
Medvedev, should he get past O’Connell as expected, is on track to play de Minaur in the fourth round with Felipe Meligeni Alves or Sebastian Baez up next.
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OTHER RESULT: SINNER-ALCARAZ REMATCH ON THE CARDS, SABALENKA’S STATEMENT
Elsewhere, Italian sixth seed Jannik Sinner remained on course for a US Open quarter-final rematch with Carlos Alcaraz.
Sinner, who lost to Alcaraz in a five-hour five-set epic in the last eight at last year’s tournament, eased into the third round with a 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 win over compatriot Lorenzo Sonego.
It means the talented 22-year-old is just two wins away from a potential meeting with defending champion Alcaraz, who plays South Africa’s Lloyd Harris in a night game on the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Sinner overpowered Sonego with a dominant service game, conceding a meager 10 points on serve and not giving his opponent a single break point throughout the 2hr 5min encounter.
“We work a lot, me and my team, trying to push myself forward and I feel like my game has improved,” Sinner said afterwards.
“I’m more comfortable at the net and this is a new thing of mine. Hopefully I can show this in the future.”
Sinner will play either 2016 US Open champion Stan Wawrinka or Tomas Etcheverry in the third round on Saturday, with Germany’s 12th seed Alex Zverev possibly lurking in the last 16 before any meeting with Alcaraz.
Alcaraz, meanwhile, will face Harris on the Arthur Ashe main court later looking for match practice after his tournament opener was cut short on Tuesday.
The Spanish world number one advanced to the second round with an abbreviated 6-2, 3-2 win on Tuesday after opponent Dominik Koepfer retired with an ankle injury.
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In other news, while Murray slid out, fellow Britons Jack Draper and Katie Boulter both advanced to the third round in contrasting fashion in their second-round matches.
Draper upset Polish 17th seed Hubert Hurkacz 6-2, 6-4, 7-5 to set up a third-round meeting with American wildcard Mmoh, who defeated Isner 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4, 7-6 (10/7).
Boulter, who reached the third round of Wimbledon earlier this, matched that achievement after coming from behind to beat China’s Wang Yafan 5-7, 6-1, 6-4.
“I’m super happy, I’m really proud of myself. I had to dig really deep,” Boulter said.
“I had to battle and go for it at the same time. I got a bit tight in the first set and managed to loosen up in the second,” added the world number 61, who faces American Peyton Stearns in the last 32.
But another Briton, Jodie Burrage, saw her tournament come to an end after a one-sided defeat to second seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, the reigning Australian Open champion. Sabalenka prevailed 6-3, 6-2 in 1hr 14min.
Sabalenka, 25, has reached the semi-finals or better at the past four Grand Slams and can replace Iga Swiatek as the new world number one if she matches the Pole’s result in New York.
“I’m not really focused on that, but it’s going to mean a lot to me,” said Sabalenka.
“It’s one of my goals, one of my dreams and I’ll do my best to reach my dream.”
While China’s Wang tumbled out, there was a happier result for compatriot Zheng Qinwen. The 23rd seed reached the third round with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 win over Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi.
In other women’s games, Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur, seeded fifth, takes on Czech teenager Linda Noskova, while third seed Jessica Pegula faces Romanian Patricia Maria Tig in a night match on Ashe.