MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Andy Murray gained one other prolonged match with Matteo Berrettini, who appeared weary and leaned on his racket to maintain his steadiness throughout Murray’s 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory Wednesday on the Miami Open.
Taking part in his first match on the ATP Tour this season, Berrettini was serving with Murray main 5-2 within the second set when he appeared to change into dizzy, resting his racket on the court docket to carry himself up. He was visited by a medical attendant, who checked his blood stress earlier than play continued.
Berrettini left the court docket after dropping that set however was capable of end the match, which final 2 hours, 49 minutes.
It was a rematch of Murray’s 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (10-6) victory that lasted greater than 4 1/2 hours within the first spherical of the 2023 Australian Open.
“It was clearly an ideal win for me,” Murray mentioned. “Began off a bit bit gradual however then I did suppose I performed fairly properly throughout then finish of the primary set by means of to the tip of the match. Created plenty of alternatives and he was struggling for a bit bit finish of the second and starting of the third, and I capitalized on that and received off to a fast begin within the third and served it out properly on the finish.”
Affected by accidents, Berrettini hadn’t performed a match on tour since being pressured to retire throughout his match within the second spherical of final 12 months’s U.S. Open. The 2021 Wimbledon runner-up returned final week and reached the ultimate of a Challenger tour event in Phoenix.
The 36-year-old Murray has gained the title twice in Miami and joined Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal as the one energetic gamers with 30 wins on the occasion. The three-time Grand Slam champion superior to face No. 29 seed Tomas Etcheverry within the second spherical.
Naomi Osaka, a two-time U.S. Open champion, beat Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-3, 6-4 in her return to Miami. The runner-up to Iga Swiatek in her final look in 2022 superior to face No. 15 seed Elina Svitolina within the second spherical.
Elsewhere on the primary full day of the event, Sloane Stephens celebrated her thirty first birthday by beating Angelique Kerber 6-2, 6-3 in a matchup of previous U.S. Open girls’s champions. Additionally, Donna Vekic outlasted Karolina Pliskova 6-4, 2-6, 6-2; and Individuals Danielle Collins and Shelby Rogers superior with three-set victories.
Males’s winners included Denis Shapovalov, who beat Luciano Darderi 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-4; and Martin Damm Jr., who outlasted China’s Zhang Zhizhen 7-6 (2), 7-6 (3).
The 32 seeded gamers got first-round byes. Aryna Sabalenka, the No. 2 seed, is predicted to play her opening match in opposition to Paula Badosa on Friday.
