Andy Murray’s hopes of reaching the fourth round of a major for the first time since 2017 are ruined by Italy’s Matteo Berrettini at the US Open.
| Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Dates: 29 August-11 September |
| Coverage: Daily radio commentaries across BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website and app, with selected live text commentaries and match reports on the website and app |
Murray, 35, paid the price for a slow start as he lost 6-4 6-4 6-7 (1-7) 6-3 against the 13th seed.
Murray was the first of four British men playing in the third round at Flushing Meadows, with Jack Draper hoping to advance on Friday.
Draper, who has never gone so far at a major, plays Russia’s Karen Khachanov.
British number one Cameron Norrie, seeded seventh, and 20th seed Dan Evans make up the quartet and play their last-32 matches on Saturday.
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After being hampered by a catalogue of niggles following major hip surgery in 2019, 35-year-old Murray won back-to-back matches at Flushing Meadows to reach the third round of a major for only the second time since his comeback.
That set up a tough test for the Scot, who feared he would not be able to play again after the career-threatening operation, against the powerful Berrettini.
On a bright New York afternoon, Murray struggled with his serve in the opening two sets – landing 42% of his first serves and losing three of five break points – and the constant pressure proved too much against someone of Berrettini’s quality.
The former world number six, who reached the 2019 semi-finals, tested Murray’s movement by employing the drop shot in the first set and the tactic proved successful as the 26-year-old Italian broke for a 4-3 lead.
There had been little between the pair but a double fault on break point cost Murray dear. That gave the confidence and impetus to Berrettini to close out the set, sealing it with a hold to love completed by a unstoppable forehand winner.
A second double fault came at another inopportune time for Murray, creating a break point in the first game of the second set which Berrettini took with another forehand winner after a long rally.
Murray, now ranked 51st in the world, quickly fought back as Berrettini could not consolidate, but in the ninth game produced another double fault on a break point which allowed Berrettini to serve out for a commanding lead.
If anyone could fight back from two sets down, it would be Murray.
The former world number one had done that on 10 previous occasions in his career, but a low first-serve percentage continued to cause him trouble at the start of the third set.
Murray had to save five break points across his opening three service games, showing more of his trademark fight to keep the set on serve and then seeing off three more break points at 5-5.
Murray’s resistance was rewarded by clawing a set back with a superb tie-break, but saw what had been a tight fourth set quickly swing away from him.
After being unable to take a break point for a 4-3 lead, a poor service next game by the Briton – starting with an ill-judged drop shot for 0-15, then followed by a volley into the net and a weak backhand from the baseline – enabled Berrettini to close out victory.
That brought an end to Murray’s run 10 years on from his breakthrough major win in New York.