Andy Murray's watch comes to end after losing to Roberto Bautista Agut in the third round

Andy Murray knocked out of the 2023 Australian Open

AUSTRALIAN OPEN Andy Murray's watch comes to end after losing to Roberto Bautista Agut in the third round

Funmilayo Fameso 15:12 - 21.01.2023

Andy Murray's resilience and grit couldn't see him through, losing to Bautista Agut in the third round match of the 2023 Australian Open.

Roberto Bautista Agut overpowered Andy Murray 6-1 6-7(7) 6-3 6-4, advancing to the round of 16 in Melbourne.

The Spaniard came prepared, easily winning the first set in 29 minutes for 6-1.

In the second set, Murray's resilience and superhero doings were back in action as he dug deep and fought back to take a 5-4 lead, and then forced the set to a tiebreaker and won the breaker at 9-7 to level the match at a set apiece.

Andy Murray won the second set against Bautista Agut in their second round tie at the Australian Open

The third set saw both men slug it out, and after 2 hours and 36 minutes played, Bautista Agut would take the set 6-3. He would break Murray in the fourth set and later see out the match 6-4.

Bautista Agut defeated Andy Murray winning three of the four sets played

Though he lost, a gallant effort and remarkable run from Murray - a man with a metal hip but with the heart of a lion.

His first-round tie saw him come back from two sets down, stretching it to a five-set win.

Same as the second round match against Thanasis Kokkinasis, coming back from two sets down and 2-5 in the third set to level up and take it on a five grueling sets encounter, which lasted for 5 hours and 45 minutes - the longest match in his career and the second longest match in Australian Open history in the Open Era.

Andy Murray victorious in five set thriller against Kokkinakis to reach third round

The Scottish legend may be out of the Australian Open, but he has proven his mental and physical toughness is still up there even as a 35-year-old walking with a metal hip.

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