Andy Murray advanced to the final 16 of the Sydney Tennis Classic, after he defeated second seed Nikoloz Basilashvili in three sets on Wednesday.
Murray is hoping to make a deep run in Sydney, his first appearance at the Australian Open since 2019.
In a three-hour and fourteen-minute match, he won 6-7(4) 7-6(3) 6-3 against Basilashvili, the world number 23.
Murray has been in good form in recent months, and he got off to a fast start against Basilashvili, taking a 5-2 lead in the opening set. Basilashvili broke back and brought the set to a tiebreak, which he won 7-4 after winning six of the last seven points.
Murray took a 3-2 lead in the second set after chasing down a drop shot and flicking the ball into the corner. Basilashvili rallied once more, breaking in the tenth game after Murray had missed three set points.
However, the Brit came through the tiebreak this time and asserted himself in the fourth set by taking a 3-0 lead. Despite missing three break points for a 4-0 lead, Murray wrapped off the match as the clock in Sydney passed midnight.
In his post-match comments, Murray said: “It was an unbelievably tough match. He is hitting the ball consistently bigger than anyone on the Tour. I was having to do a lot of defending and running but my legs stood up well and at the end I served really well in the last set.”
Murray will play eighth seed David Goffin next, with fellow Brit Dan Evans a possible final opponent if both win two more matches.
