New York (AFP)
Andy Murray, 115th in the world and who is trying to return to the highest level, battled 4 h 38 min to qualify for the 2nd round of the US Open by beating in five sets the Japanese Yoshihito Nishioka, 49th in the world, 4-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/4), 6-4.
The Scotsman, winner at Flushing Meadows in 2012 and world No. 1 in 2016, has come a long way.
From a match point saved in the 4th set, before pocketing it, like the 3rd, at the tie break, after a start where he made too many unforced errors (77 and 13 double faults in total).
But at least he overcame his initial apathy, to present a more combative face and finally to doubt his opponent appeared, over the hours, also very nervous.
Murray was able to quickly break free to return to 3-3 in the fifth set, before seizing the first opportunity that presented itself to him to win, with this match point at 5-4 on the opposing service.
"I'm exhausted, my toes hurt, especially my big fingers. They have an ice bath in the locker room, when I saw him I said to myself, that's for emergencies, or emergencies c 'This is what awaits me there. My body hurts so much that I am going to ask their permission to immerse it in it, "he commented afterwards to ESPN.
The Scot had not played in a Grand Slam since his loss in the first round of the Australian Open in 2019. He has since had a second hip operation, before injuring his pelvis during the Davis Cup in last november.
This injury, combined with the coronavirus pandemic, kept him away from competition until the Masters 1000 in Cincinnati, where he gave good signals last week, by eliminating the German Alexander Zverev, 7th in the world. , before being stopped in the round of 16 against future finalist Milos Raonic.
Murray, who will have to recover well from his debauchery of efforts at 33, will meet in the next round the Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime or the Brazilian Thiago Monteiro.
© 2020 AFP