MELBOURNE, January 14, 2019
Five-time Australian Open finalist Andy Murray met Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut in the fourth match on Melbourne Arena on Monday. Murray, who announced on Friday that this tournament may be his last due to a hip injury, lost to the No. 22 seed 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-7(4), 6-2.
From two sets down Murray forced a deciding set but it wasn’t enough as Bautista Agut wore down the Scot in the final set. The Spaniard held his serve to love to close out a memorable encounter after four hours and nine minutes.
“Today was an incredible night, no? Andy deserves this atmosphere, Andy deserves all the people who came to watch him. It was an unbelievable match, really good fight,” Bautista Agut said during his on-court interview.
“He gave everything until the last point. I want to congratulate him for all he did for tennis!”
A montage of messages from Murray’s fellow pros on both the ATP Tour and WTA Tour was played out in the Melbourne Arena after the match.
“I think I am going to be okay. It was incredible. Thank you so so much to everyone who came out tonight. I have loved playing here over the years,” Murray said.
“If this was my last match then it was an amazing way to end. I gave literally everything I had. It wasn’t to be tonight. Congratulations to Roberto and his team.
“Maybe I will see you again. I will do everything possible to try. I will need to have big operation, if I want to come back, and there are no guarantees I will be able to come back from. I will give it my best shot.”
Murray announced that he would make a decision on hip resurfacing operation “in the next week or so”.
“I have two options. One to take next four and a half months off and play Wimbledon. Having another operation no guarantees I could come back. It’s possible because some athletes have done it,” the 31-year-old said.
ANDY MURRAY
VIDEO@andy_murray says he must decide whether to undergo surgery, putting his hopes of playing at Wimbledon in jeopardy, after losing in the first round of the Australian Open https://t.co/XwTfJCF45u— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) 14. Januar 2019
