Andy Murray claims top ten scalp and exacts revenge on Hubert Hurkacz in Vienna

Britain's Andy Murray serves the ball to Poland's Hubert Hurkacz (not in picture) during the men's singles match at the Erste Bank Open Tennis tournament in Vienna on October 25, 2021. (Photo by GEORG HOCHMUTH/APA/AFP via Getty Images)

The players have met twice already this year with the Scot beaten both times and yet to take a set against the world number 10.

However he rectified that record immediately in Austria with a 6-4 first set win, and then re-wrote the match record too after being taken into a third set.

Murray put his supporters through the wringer in the second set, going all the way to a tiebreak with the Pole, and missing a match-point against the competition’s fifth seed.

Hurkacz had a better recent record in tie-breaks but Murray had the experience. He moved into a two point lead straight away only to be pulled back to trail 5-4. Hurkacz saw off a match-point and then won his first set-point opportunity with Murray going long on the 12th point.

Hurkacz then used his ascendancy to break serve in the opening game of the third set, but Murray broke back with an immediate response and held to move 2-1 ahead and from that point on, he didn’t look back.

The 34-year-old two-time Wimbledon champion assumed control of the third with several wild forehands from his Polish opponent flying out leading to another break of serve. Murray held his own, and his nerve, to see out the match and move into the last 16.

He may be joined by Cameron Norrie who plays on Tuesday, but fellow Brit Dan Evans was knocked out by Carlos Alcarez earlier on Monday.

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