Murray Secures Sydney Win
Andy Murray earned his first win in Australia in three years on Tuesday, overcoming Norwegian qualifier Viktor Durasovic 6-3, 6-1 to reach the second round at the Sydney Tennis Classic.
The former World No. 1 lost to Facundo Bagnis in his first match of the season last week in Melbourne, but bounced back with a dominant performance against Durasovic, advancing after 72 minutes to improve to 2-0 in their ATPHead2Head series.
“It is perfect conditions here,” Murray said in his on-court interview. “It feels like you are playing indoors. It is really nice to get your range here and hopefully I can carry that through to Melbourne. I was hoping to get matches in Melbourne last week, but that didn’t happen. Thankfully the tournament organisers and Tennis Australia agreed to give me the wild card and the opportunity to play here and I am very grateful for that.”
Murray, whose last victory in Australia came against James Duckworth in Brisbane in January 2019, will next play second-seeded Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili at the ATP 250 event.
“It is my first time in Sydney and it is a beautiful city,” Murray added. “I have been on the Tour for a very long time and it is nice to come to new places and I had heard a lot about it and it hasn’t disappointed.”
The wild card reached tour-level quarter-finals in Metz and Stockholm last season and earned Top 10 wins over Hubert Hurkacz and Jannik Sinner as he built his way back up to top form.
In a solid display against Durasovic on Ken Rosewall Arena, the Scot played consistently from the baseline, hitting his flat backhands with great power and depth as he drew errors out of the 24-year-old. Murray won 96 per cent (25/26) of his first-serve points and sealed victory when he fired a forehand winner past Durasovic.
Murray has a strong record in Australia, having advanced to the final at the Australian Open five times (2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016) and triumphed in Brisbane twice (2012, 2013).