With Novak Djokovic checking airline schedules, Andy Murray knew this was no time to slip up and he duly delivered an impressive three-set win over Sam Querrey on day five to move into the fourth round of the Australian Open.
In an age of uncertainty, the only sure thing about the rest of his campaign is that it will not involve a fifth final against the Serb, although there are plenty of solid performers left on the other side of the draw. They will have to be at their very best to challenge the world No 1, who confirmed his favouritism in difficult conditions to beat Querrey – who opened the door for Murray to take his second Wimbledon title by inflicting the first of Djokovic’s three consecutive slam setbacks – 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 in just under two hours.
“It was obviously a tough match,” Murray said courtside, “especially in the first set, key moment at 3-4 when I managed to break, and I had the momentum after that. I felt better and better as I went, little bit sore, but I was moving well at the end, which is a positive. The place was packed from the first ball and we love that as players.”
He has reached a level now that is as reliable as any of his peers. Where once his inconsistency plagued him at key moments, now the Scot moves with assurance in every shot of every rally. It is the sort of killing consistency that his rivals dread when he gets into a rhythm in big matches.
After a tight and excellent first set in which Murray mastered the strong wind more quickly, he pretty much bossed the American all the way to the line.
Querrey had the perfect start, holding to love inside a minute and landing the first of only five aces. His flat, hard ground strokes struck through a swirling breeze on a mild afternoon made it difficult for Murray to get a foothold in the contest, but he found an ace of his own to level.
The problem with trying to cut through the wind was the associated risk of flirting with the net, so a lot of the early exchanges were short as both players searched for the right mix of power and accuracy.
Querrey got the first break point after 28 minutes when Murray shunted a backhand long, but the world No 1 held for 4-all when the American misjudged a forehand.
Murray got a look in the ninth when he forced the American wide and he dumped a forehand, and another a few points later with a cracking forehand crosscourt return. He finished the job with a superbly judged lob – his third of the game in still tricky wind – and served out the set without fuss after 42 minutes.
Querrey’ stout resistance started to crumble in the third game of the second set when Murray broke him to love, then began to pull steadily clear of a player 30 players below him in the rankings for a quick two-set lead.
Querrey halted the rot briefly in the third, breaking back for 2-all after an hour-and-a-half on court, with the wind still tugging at shirts and spirits. The third set was close for a while but Querrey butchered a close-quarter volley to hand Murray the break, and he served out handsomely.
Murray next plays Mischa Zverev, who beat the Tunisian Malek Jaziri, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3, 6-0. The German’s younger brother, Alexander, plays Nadal on the other side of the draw on Saturday.
