US Open 2021: Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Andy Murray in five-set thriller

US Open 2021: Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Andy Murray: In one of the biggest-ever battles in the opening round of the Grand Slam tournament ever, 3^rd seed Stefanos Tsitsipas averted an upset, defeating 2012 champion and former World No 1 Andy Murray 2-6, 7-6 (9-7), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a gruelling four hours and 48-minute battle at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“It didn’t come easy,” Tsitsipas said. “Lots of sacrifices I had to make on the court to get back.”

Murray, a three-time Grand Slam champion, would have been the lowest-ranked player to beat a top-three rival at the US Open since the rankings began in 1973.

Two-time Olympic champion Murray, the 2012 US Open and 2013 and 2016 Wimbledon winner, lost for the first time in 15 first-round US Open matches despite cheers in a nearly full venue.

“To have an electric atmosphere out here is something we’ve been waiting for for almost a year,” Tsitsipas said.

Tsitsipas, this year’s French Open runner-up, took a long break before the final set, frustrating Murray, who surrendered a break in the opening game.

Murray forced a break point in the fourth game but Tsitsipas saved it with a forehand winner and held to lead 3-1.

Tsitsipas held at love in the final game to end Murray’s valiant effort after four hours and 49 minutes and advance to a second-round match against France’s Adrian Mannarino.

“I hope I can keep my game at the same level I had today,” Tsitsipas said.

In the first set, Murray broke twice on Tsitsipas unforced errors for a 4-1 lead, then later hit a forehand volley winner that earned him a set point and had him punching the air five times with his right hand in excitement.

Moments later, he blasted a service winner to close out the first set in 42 minutes.

In the second-set tie-breaker, Murray delivered a lob winner for a 5-3 lead, but slipped at the net during a volley exchange and not only lost the point but appeared to damage his shoes.

Tsitsipas netted a backhand to hand Murray two set points at 6-4, but the 23-year-old Greek star won five of the next six points to grab the set and level the match.

Murray yelled to his support staff in the stands that he didn’t have another pair of shoes in the tie-break and complained about inattention to detail after dropping the set. Murray walked off the court during the break while leaving his shoes behind.

Murray broke in the second game of the third set and held out from there, finishing off the set with a forehand down the line winner after three hours.

Tsitsipas, who had a trainer treat his left leg after set three, rolled to a 5-0 lead in taking the fourth set.

US Open 2021 LIVE: Andy Murray vs Stefanos Tsitsipas, 5th Set, Tsitsipas wins 6-4

Set 5: Game 10: Tsitsipas to serve: Tsitsipas wins, takes the set 6-4 and match

Tsitsipas wins.
Tsitsipas has three match points.
Tsitsipas takes 30-0 lead as Murray makes an unforced error.
Tsitsipas takes the first point, leads 15-0
Tsitsipas to serve for the match.

Set 5: Game 9: Murray to serve: Murray wins, trails 4-5

Murray keeps his hopes alive, holds on to his service.
Murray takes 30-15 lead.

Set 5: Game 8: Tsitsipas to serve: Tsitsipas wins, leads 5-3

Tsitsipas inching closer to a win, wins Game 8.

Set 5: Game 7: Murray to serve: Murray wins, trails 3-4

Murray takes the game easily with a loud crowd support.

Set 5: Game 6: Tsitsipas to serve: Tsitsipas wins, leads 4-2

Tsitsipas takes the game to take a 4-2 lead.
Tsitsipas bounces back to lead 40-30
Murray takes 0-30 lead.

Set 5: Game 5: Murray to serve: Murray wins, trails 2-3

Murray takes the game with a forehand.
Murray leads 30-15.

Set 5: Game 4: Tsitsipas to serve: Tsitsipas wins, leads 3-1

Tsitsipas saves a break point and wins the game.
Murray has a break point here.
Tsitsipas makes 15-15 with a 123-mph ace.
Murray is on the edge here after being broken in the first game. Can he break back?

Set 5: Game 3: Murray to serve: Murray wins, trails 1-2

Murray holds on to his nerves and serve to take the game.
Can Andy Murray bounce back?

Set 5: Game 2: Tsitsipas to serve: Tsitsipas leads 2-0

Tsitsipas wins second game to take 2-0 lead.
Murray wins a long rally to take 0-15 lead.

Set 5: Game 1: Murray to serve: Tsitsipas wins, leads 1-0

Murray broken in the very first game. Tsitsipas leads 1-0
Tsitsipas has a break point
Tsitsipas gets a time violation for an extended medical break.

US Open 2021 LIVE: Andy Murray vs Stefanos Tsitsipas, 4th Set, Tsitspas wins 6-3

Set 4: Game 9: Tsitsipas to serve: Tsitsipas wins, takes set 6-3

Tsitsipas wins 4th set 6-3
Tsitsipas has a set point.

Set 4: Game 8: Murray to serve: Murray Wins, trails 3-5

Murray holds on to his serve.
Tsitsipas makes it 30-30.

Set 4: Game 7: Tsitsipas to serve: Murray wins, trails 2-5

Tsitsipas saves two break points with two aces but Murray breaks back.
Murray has three break points.
Murray leads 30-0.
Tsitsipas serving for the set.

Set 4: Game 6: Murray to serve: Murray wins, trails 1-5

Murray bounces back to take the game.
Tsitsipas leads 30-15.

Set 4: Game 5: Tsitsipas to serve: Tsitsipas wins, leads 5-0

Tsitsipas wins the game and is just a game away to take it to five sets.
Tsitsipas leads 40-0 with a fantastic backhand down the line shot.

Set 4: Game 4: Murray to serve: Tsitsipas wins, leads 4-0

Tsitsipas takes this game too, leads 4-0.
Murray trails 15-30.
Murray has started faltering.

Set 4: Game 3: Tsitsipas to serve: Tsitsipas wins, leads 3-0

Tsitsipas wins, leads 3-0
Murray bounces back to take it to deuce.
Tsitsipas takes a 40-0 lead.

Set 4: Game 2: Murray to serve: Tsitsipas wins, takes 2-0 lead

Tsitsipas has a break point and breaks Murray early to take 2-0 lead.
Tsitsipas takes another point to make it 30-40.
Tsitsipas takes a point out of the game, makes it 15-40.
Murray takes 40-0 lead.

Set 4: Game 1: Tsitsipas to serve: Tsitsipas wins, leads 1-0

Tsitsipas takes the game to take 1-0 lead.

US Open 2021 LIVE: Andy Murray vs Stefanos Tsitsipas, 3rd Set, Murray wins 6-3

When you have a top seed on the ropes 💯@andy_murray | #USOpen pic.twitter.com/hcGY1kFkLD

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 30, 2021

Set 3: Game 9: Murray to serve: Murray wins, takes set 6-3

Murray wins game and set. Takes 3rd set 6-3 to lead 2-1.
Murray loses a volley to hand over 15-30 lead to Tsitsipas.
Murray serving for 3rd set.

Set 3: Game 8: Tsitsipas to serve: Tsitsipas wins, trails 3-5

Murray takes a point to make it 40-15.
Tsitsipas leads 40-0

Set 3: Game 7: Murray to serve: Murray, leads 5-2

Murray takes the game after staving off a fightback from Tsitsipas.

Set 3: Game 6: Tsitsipas to serve: Tsitsipas wins, trails 2-4

Tsitsipas wins the game with two aces, trails 2-4.

Set 3: Game 5: Murray to serve: Murray wins, leads 4-1

Murray finally takes the game with a fantastic drop shot after five deuces in a 13-minute game. He leads 4-1.
Murray keeps coming back, forces yet another deuce.
Tsitsipas has a break point, leads 40-30
Tsitsipas bounces back to make it 30-30

Set 3: Game 4: Tsitsipas to serve: Tsitsipas wins, trails 1-3

Tistsipas wins, makes it 3-1
Tistsipas leads 30-0

Set 3: Game 3: Murray to serve: Murray wins, leads 3-0

Murray takes the game, leads 3-0.

Set 3: Game 2: Tsitsipas to serve: Murray wins, leads 2-0

Murray breaks Tsitsipas to take 2-0 lead.

Set 3: Game 1: Murray to serve: Murray wins 1-0

Murray falters but takes the game to lead 1-0.

US Open 2021 LIVE: Andy Murray vs Stefanos Tsitsipas, 2nd Set, Tsitsipas wins 6-6 (9-7)

Second set Tiebreaker: Tsitsipas wins 9-7

Tsitsipas wins tiebreaker 9-7 to take the second set 6-6 (9-7).
Murray gifts a point with a double fault. Tsitsipas leads 8-7 and is serving for the set.
Murray makes it 7-7.
Tsitsipas has a set point, leads 7-6
Tsitsipas makes it 6-6 with a smash.
Murray loses the point, Tsitsipas to serve for the tie-breaker. 6-5.
Murray has two set points, leads 6-4
Murray slips while playing a net point, Tsitsipas makes it 4-5.
Murray takes 5-3 lead with a wonderful backhand lob.
Tsitsipas loses a point with an unforced error, Murray leads 4-3
Murray makes it 3-3 with a volley.
Tsitsipas takes 3-2 lead.
Tsitsipas takes a point on his second serve to drawl level 2-2.
Tsitsipas wins a point with a volley to make it 1-1.
Murray takes a point, leads 1-0.

Set 2: Game 12: Murray to serve: Murray wins, draws level 6-6

Murray bounces back to take the game and makes it 6-6 to force a tie-breaker.
Murray misses a volley to hand over a 0-15 lead.

Set 2: Game 11: Tsitsipas to serve: Tsitsipas wins, leads 6-5

Tsitsipas holds his serve to take the game, leads 6-5.
Tsitsipas has utilised his first serve to the fullest. In fact, he has won 91% of his points on the first serve.

Set 2: Game 10: Murray to serve: Murray wins to level 5-5

Murray used only one first serve the whole game but takes the game somehow to draw level 5-5.
Murray bounces back, leads 40-30.
Tsitsipas takes 30-0 lead.

Set 2: Game 9: Tstsipas to serve: Tstsipas wins, takes 5-4 lead

Tsitsipas saves two break points to take the game, leads 5-4.
Tsitsipas bounces back to take it to deuce.
Murray has two break points.
Murray takes a point, 15-15.

Set 2: Game 8: Murray to serve: Murray wins, levels 4-4.

Murray wins the game to draw level 4-4.
Murray leads 30-0.

Set 2: Game 7: Tsitsipas to serve: Tsitsipas wins, leads 4-3

Tsitsipas wins the game easily to take the lead back, 4-3.

Set 2: Game 6: Murray to serve: Murray wins, draws level 3-3

Murray takes the game, draws level 3-3.
Murray leads 30-0

Set 2: Game 5: Tsitsipas to serve: Wins, leads 3-2

Tsitsipas wins the game with ease, leads 3-2.

Set 2: Game 4: Murray to serve: Murray wins, levels 2-2

Murray bounces back to win the game, draws level 2-2.
Tsitsipas has two break points.
Murray stuns Tsitsipas to take 15-0 lead.

Set 2: Game 3: Tsitsipas to serve: Tsitsipas wins, leads 2-1

Easy game for the Greek, takes the game to lead 2-1.

Set 2: Game 2: Murray to serve: Murray wins the game, levels 1-1

Murray takes the game, draws level 1-1.
Tsitsipas draws level with a fine return, 30-30.
Murray leads with an ace 30-15

Set 2: Game 1: Tsitsipas to serve: Tsitsipas wins, leads 1-0

Tsitsipas takes the game easily, leads 1-0.

US Open 2021 LIVE: Andy Murray vs Stefanos Tsitsipas, Murray takes 1st set 6-2

Upset brewing in Ashe? 👀

Former champ @andy_murray takes the first set, 6-2, over No. 3 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas! pic.twitter.com/gQK3Mr1hpj

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 30, 2021

Set 1: Game 6: Murray to serve for set: Murray wins, 6-2

Murray wins game and set 6-2.
Murray serves for 3rd set point.
Tsitsipas bounces back after Murray’s unforced error. Deuce.
Murray has one set point.
Tsitsipas bounces back to level 30-30
Murray serving for first set.

Set 1: Game 6: Tsitsipas to serve: Tsitsipas wins, trails 2-5

Tsitsipas holds on to his serve this time, trails 2-5.
Murray’s unforced error gives Tsitsipas a lead.

Set 1: Game 6: Murray to serve: Murray wins, leads 5-1

Murray takes the service game with ease, leads 5-1
Murray begins with an ace.

Set 1: Game 5: Tsitsipas to serve: Murray wins, leads 4-1

Tsitsipas misses a smash, Murray takes the game to lead 4-1
Murray has a break point.
Murray with a thunderous forehand to level scores 30-30.

Set 1: Game 4: Murray to serve: Murray wins, leads 3-1

Murray takes the game to lead 3-1 despite a double fault.
Another unforced error from Tsitsipas. Murray leads 30-0

Set 1: Game 3: Tsitsipas to serve: Murray takes the game to take 2-1 lead.

But Murray broke him early to take a 2-1 lead.
Murray took a lead after two unforced errors but Tsitsipas bounced back with two big serves.

Set 1: Game 2: Murray to serve: Murray takes the game with a couple of big serves to level 1-1.

Set 1: Game 1: Tsitsipas to serve: Murray with a great return forces Tsitsipas to make a mistake. 30-30.

Tsitsipas wins first game, leads 1-0 in first set.
A vintage Murray challenges Tsitsipas’ backhand wins a point, forces another deuce.
Deuce in the first game. Tsitsipas struggling with his unforced errors.

Get ready for this one 😎

The Round 1 blockbuster between @andy_murray & @steftsitsipas starts NOW! pic.twitter.com/oK2Qibmsys

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 30, 2021

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(with AFP inputs)

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