ANDY MURRAY is aiming to go deep at Flushing Meadows after reaching the US Open third round for the first time in SIX YEARS.
The Scot, 35, required exactly three hours to get rid of American wildcard Emilio Nava 5-7 6-3 6-1 6-0 on a considerably cooler afternoon in New York.
Andy Murray battled hard before eventually securing his spot in the US Open third round
The 2012 champion lost the first set in 84 minutes but bounced back
And he is now preparing for a huge date tomorrow with Italian stallion Matteo Berrettini, a Wimbledon finalist last year and two-time Queen’s champion.
It is more than two months since they met in the Stuttgart Open final and big-serving Berrettini, 26, will be one of the hardest prospects Murray has faced in years over five sets.
Murray said: “Matteo has had a bit of an unlucky year, to be honest.
“I know he got Covid at the beginning of Wimbledon.
“And a wrist injury meant he missed pretty much all of the clay season.
“But when he has been on the court, he has done really, really well.
“We played in the Stuttgart final. It was a tough three-set match. So I’m expecting it to be really difficult.
“But if I play well and my returns are on point then I have a good chance.”
Murray was agitated by ignorant fans who took far too long to take their seats during changeovers for this midday encounter.
Where his first-round match was stress-free and lacking in drama or incident, the first set here became a real war of attrition.
Nava excelled himself beyond his world No 203 ranking and secured the advantage after 84 minutes with a brilliant forehand winner on the run that sailed past the Scot at the net.
Nava — whose parents competed for Mexico at the 1988 Olympics in tennis and athletics — roared loudly and whipped his arms in the air.
It was an attempt to encourage those inside the Arthur Ashe Stadium to get more involved and increase the noise level.
In contrast, Murray smacked his racket against the ground in anger and knew that if he was going to progress here he would have to come from behind.
Yet Nava soon felt the impact of playing a five-set match in the first round and his fitness levels dipped alarmingly.
Murray levelled up on the scoreboard within 42 minutes – the second set was exactly half the time of the first set – and normal service resumed thereafter in favour of the bigger name.
In sets three and four, Murray won 12 of the 13 games played, claiming back-to-back matches here in the Big Apple since a quarter-final run in 2016.
Murray added: “Physically this is the best I have felt in the last few years.
“My movement is by far the best it has been in a long time and that has always been a really important part of my game.
“Nowadays especially with a lot of the guys hitting huge balls, you need to be able to defend well.
“I feel like I’m doing that just now. I’m getting closer to where I want to be and hopefully I can have a deep run here.”
Berrettini, who has had a stop-start year due to a right hand operation, moved into the last 32 with a 2-6 6-1 7-6 7-6 win over French lucky loser Hugo Grenier.
Australian star Alex de Minaur – the boyfriend of Brit Katie Boulter – beat Chilean Cristian Garin 6-3 6-0 4-6 6-2 on Court 5.
Murray needed the ice towels to keep cool in the sweltering heat
Emilio Nava put on a brilliant performance in set one but trailed off
Murray faces Hugo Boss model Matteo Berrettini next
