A dejected-looking Andy Murray lost a brutal three-hour battle in Basel, where he took his frustration out on his racket as he saw his lead slip away.
Three-time major champion Murray was pushed to the brink by Argentinian Tomas Etcheverry to miss out on his first ATP quarterfinal since Doha in February. In exiting the tournament Murray also lost out on the opportunity to overtake Dan Evans as British No 2 come Monday, ahead of the Davis Cup Finals next month.
He may well still do that in the weeks to come, especially if Evans’s calf injury sustained in Vienna on Tuesday keeps him off the court. Leapfrogging Evans – who at 37th is two spots ahead in the live ATP rankings – would mean Murray will likely play singles at the Davis Cup Finals, where Britain take on Novak Djokovic’s Serbia.
But his demeanour in Basel might be worrying for captain Leon Smith, as was Cam Norrie’s humbling 6-2, 6-4 defeat to Alexander Zverev in Vienna, in more bad news for the struggling members of the British team.
Those factors looked far from Murray’s mind on Wednesday night though, as he flung his racket across the court during another demoralising loss – his fourth from his last six matches.
Sophie Anderson, a UK-based writer, is your guide to the latest trends, viral sensations, and internet phenomena. With a finger on the pulse of digital culture, she explores what’s trending across social media and pop culture, keeping readers in the know about the latest online sensations.
