Andy Murray reacts during his men's singles third-round match against Italy's Matteo Berrettini at the US Open. Photograph: Timothy A Clary/AFP via Getty ImagesAt the beginning of this long and unpredictable summer Andy Murray and Matteo Berrettini stared each other down in the final of Stuttgart. For two sets they went blow for blow as equals and both players looked promising.
It was Berrettini who found it in New York, withstanding a late surge from an otherwise sub-par Murray. He paired his nuclear serve and forehand with sweet, delicate touches around the court, breaking down Murray to reach the fourth round of the US Open with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 , 6-3 win. Murray’s break point was erased by a thunderous serve from Berrettini, then the Italian served flawlessly throughout the set. His decisive asset was how he paired his punishing weapons, pushing Murray far behind the baseline, with a constant stream of delicate forehand drop shots. At 3-3, 30-30, Berrettini played one such sublime drop shot winner to reach break point. Under sustained pressure Murray double faulted and Berrettini flitted through the remainder of the set.
As his grand slam season comes to an end, Murray leaves New York with mixed results. Given his circumstances at this point in his career, his third-round finish classes as a good tournament. It is only the second time he has reached the third round at a grand slam tournament since he was ranked No 1 in 2017. He played well, taking out a seed, No 28 Francisco Cerundolo, and putting himself in the position to contend with a top player.