Signing off
With Andy Murray through to a fourth-round clash with Anderson and the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center clearing out for the night, we’ll bid you adieu. You don’t got to go home, as they say, but you can’t stay here. Thanks for following along with us and be sure to check back shortly for Kevin Mitchell’s report off tonight’s match.
Updated
Murray wins third set and match!
Third set: Murray 7-5 Bellucci
At 15-15, Bellucci overcooks a forehand and now Murray is two points from the finish line. Another error gives Murray a pair of match points and the crowd in Arthur Ashe Stadium swells. Bellucci saves the first when Murray sprays a shot long, but a Bellucci error on the next point gives Murray the match – and a place in the last 16 where he will face the big-serving South African Kevin Anderson, who is seeded 15th here.
Murray breaks!
Third set: *Murray 6-5 Bellucci (*denotes next server)
Bellucci falls behind love-30 and squarely into the danger zone. Then a winner by Murray at the net makes it love-40 and gives him three break points. He needs only one as a Bellucci unforced error gives Murray the break. He’ll serve for the match and a place in the last 16 after the changeover.
Updated
Third set: Murray 5-5 Bellucci* (*denotes next server)
Two quick points by Murray, then a third when he attempts a passing shot that Bellucci lunges for and sends out of bounds. 40-love. Then a service winner to stay on serve in the third.
Third set: *Murray 4-5 Bellucci (*denotes next server)
A service winner then an ace by Bellucci makes it 30-love. He’s only lost four points on his serve this set. Murray moves it to 30-15 with a winner, but then sends an attempting passing shot wide and Bellucci has a game point at 40-15. Murray dumps a backhand into the net and it’s a hold.
Third set: Murray 4-4 Bellucci* (*denotes next server)
At 15-15, Murray strikes a 120mph ace but then mishits a forehand to make it 30-all. Murray winner at the net gives him a game point, but a missed volley at the net brings it to deuce. Bellucci error gives Murray another game point, then the world No3 strikes a 123mph ace out wide to finish off the hold.
Third set: *Murray 3-4 Bellucci (*denotes next server)
Both players serving better than they have all night. Bellucci caps a hold at love with a crowd-pleasing exchange of volleys that ends when he negotiates one Murray at the net.
Third set: Murray 3-3 Bellucci* (*denotes next server)
Murray is locked in on his serve. Three quick points to move ahead 40-love then a brilliantly executed drop-shot winner off a netcord return from Bellucci.
Third set: *Murray 2-3 Bellucci (*denotes next server)
Another comfortable hold for Bellucci, but Murray looking calm and relaxed during that game, laughing at something that caught his attention.
Third set: Murray 2-2 Bellucci* (*denotes next server)
Three quick points for Murray to move ahead 40-love, then an simply absurd forehand winner down the line on the run to secure the love hold.
Updated
Third set: *Murray 1-2 Bellucci (*denotes next server)
A 107mph service winner caps a rare love hold for Bellucci. On serve in the third.
Third set: Murray 1-1 Bellucci* (*denotes next server)
Bellucci with a chance here at 30-all, but Murray follows with a 125mph ace down the middle – which Bellucci challenged unsuccessfully – followed by a Murray winner to lock down the hold.
Third set: *Murray 0-1 Bellucci (*denotes next server)
Murray is just playing really well against an opponent not in his class. He rattles off three quick points on Bellucci’s serve to make it 15-40 and earn a pair of break points. Bellucci saves them both on a pair of Murray unforced errors and it’s deuce. Then a Bellucci service winner followed by a winner off a serve and volley to escape with the hold.
Second set: Murray 6-2 Bellucci
Murray error makes it love-15, but Bellucci sprays a forehand badly followed by forced error – thanks to a thunderous Murray forehand – to make it 30-15. Two points from a two-set lead. Murray with his first double fault of the set (and second of the night) to make it 30-all. Another Murray winner gives him a set point and it’s a truly preposterous cross-court forehand winner on the run that gives him the game and set. Wow. Friend of the Murray live blog John McEnerney seems to believe a Murray meltdown is afoot, but it seems to be running out of time.
@BryanAGraham just wondering if we'll see the MMMM(Murray'sMidMatchMeltdown)when he starts screaming at himself after he loses a few games
— John McEnerney (@MackerOnTheMed) September 6, 2015
Second set: *Murray 5-2 Bellucci (*denotes next server)
Two free points for Bellucci on his serve, but then Murray conjures an extraordinary shot from a Bellucci offering that would have been a winner against nearly anyone else. Another winner by Murray makes it 30-all. A gorgeous drop shot by Murray that Bellucci can’t retrieve and Murray has another break chance, which he converts when Bellucci overcooks a forehand. Now the world No3 will serve for a two-set lead.
Second set: Murray 4-2 Bellucci* (*denotes next server)
At 15-15, Bellucci hits a winner that gives him a half-chance at 15-30. But he dumps a backhand into the net on the next point for 30-all, then sprays a forehand wll past the line to give Murray a game point. Bellucci approaches the net and touches a deft angled volley over the net, but it bounces out and Murray holds.
Second set: *Murray 3-2 Bellucci (*denotes next server)
At 15-15, Bellucci pipes in his first two aces of the match to move it to game point. He nets a forehand winner attempt to cut it to 30-40, but then Murray fires a shot into the net and Bellucci has the hold.
Second set: Murray 3-1 Bellucci* (*denotes next server)
Murray really dealing here. A service winner followed by a devastating forehand winner from the baseline. But two quick Bellucci points cut it to 30-all. Murray drop-shot winner at the net makes it 40-30, followed by an easy putaway for the hold when Bellucci can only meekly block a Murray serve across the net.
Second set: *Murray 2-1 Bellucci (*denotes next server)
Bellucci could use an easy hold here and he wins the first two points before dumping a backhand into the net. 30-15. Quick points on a serve and volley gives him a game point, followed by a service winner for the hold.
Second set: Murray 2-0 Bellucci* (*denotes next server)
Murray consolidates the early break with ease, winning three quick points to move ahead 40-love. Mixes in an unforced error before closing out the hold.
Updated
Murray breaks!
Second set: *Murray 1-0 Bellucci (*denotes next server)
A double fault, two unforced errors off the backhand side and another off the forehand by Bellucci and Murray has the early break.
Updated
Murray wins first set!
First set: Murray 6-3 Bellucci*
A prodigious forehand winner into the corner by Bellucci makes it 30-30, but then Murray hits a flicks a backhand into the corner to give him a set point. He converts it with ease, thudding a massive service winner to take the opener.
First set: *Murray 5-3 Bellucci (*denotes next server)
Bellucci rattles off two quick points before a Murray winner cuts it to 30-15. They then trade drop shots before Murray slots in a winner. Then a Bellucci error gives Murray yet another break-point chance at 30-40 – and he converts it by crashing a forehand that Bellucci can’t handle at the net. Murray to serve for the first set.
First set: Murray 4-3 Bellucci* (*denotes next server)
Two quick points by Murray before Bellucci crushes a forehand winner into the corner. Murray responds with a 107mph ace to move withing game point, but Bellucci wins a pair of quick points to bring it to deuce. Bellucci dumps a forehand into the net to give Murray a game point and he converts it, punching a backhand down the line that Bellucci can scarcely get a racket on.
First set: *Murray 3-3 Bellucci (*denotes next server)
Bellucci drops the first two points on his serve to fall behind love-30. Then he wins an extended rally with an inside-out forehand winner, followed by a perfectly played drop-shop far out of Murray’s reach. A Bellucci error makes it 30-40 to give Murray another break-point chance, but he saves it with a clever half-volley at the net. Bellucci hits a backhand into the net at deuce to give Murray another break point, but Murray can only return Bellucci’s serve into the net and it’s back to deuce. A scintillating flat backhand winner into the corner from Murray, beautifully played, gives Murray a third break opportunity ... and it’s saved again when Murray returns into the net. Back and forth they go: Deuce No4, Deuce No5, Deuce No6. A Bellucci error gives Murray another break chance, but then Bellucci dials up a serve and volley to save it yet again. DeuceNo7. Then Murray pushes a backhand past the baseline, but a clever winner by Murray brings it back to deuce. Finally, a winner by Bellucci followed by a backhand dumped into the net by Murray – on the 22nd point of the game – gives Bellucci the hold. Four break points saved.
First set: Murray 3-2 Bellucci* (*denotes next server)
Murray drops the first point for his third straight service game, then rattles off four points for an easy hold. Andy starting to find his footing in the rallies and looking better already.
Murray breaks!
First set: *Murray 2-2 Bellucci (*denotes next server)
At 30-30, Bellucci pounds a 117mph service winner to move within game point. Then the Brazilian mixes in a double fault. Then another! And all of a sudden Murray has a break-point chance. A mid-length rally ends when Bellucci blinks first and Murray has the immediate break back.
Bellucci breaks!
First set: Murray 1-2 Bellucci* (*denotes next server)
Pardon the technical difficulties here, but we’re back on track. Two quick points by Murray and he’s in a love-30 hole again. Murray gets one back, but then Bellucci wrong-foots him with a forehand winner and makes it 15-40, giving himself a couple looks at a break point. He saves the first when Bellucci misfires a forehand, but then Murray pounds a forehand into the net on the third shot of a rally and the Brazilian has the early break.
Updated
First set: *Murray 1-1- Bellucci (*denotes next server)
A 19-shot rally ends with a Bellucci winner, then he rattles off two more quick points to move ahead 40-love. Murray gets one back on a forced error, but another Bellucci winner finishes off the comfortable hold.
First set: Murray 1-0 Bellucci* (*denotes next server)
A Murray error followed by a Bellucci forehand up the line and Murray is quickly in a love-30 hole. Murray uncorks an ace down the middle, followed by a Bellucci error to level it at 30-all. Bellucci dumps a forehand into the net to give Murray game point, followed by a forehand winner by Murray to secure the hold.
Quick points
Some newsy notes on tonight’s match courtesy of the ITF:
- Murray is 11-0 against left-handers this season.
- Bellucci has yet to drop a set at this year’s US Open, but he’s also yet to face an opponent ranked in the top 125, beating James Ward (No135) in the opening round and Yoshihito Nishioka (No128) in the second.
- Murray’s second-round win over Mannarino moved him into second place among active players for most career wins from two sets down (eight) behind only Roger Federer (nine). Tommy Robredo has seven such comebacks on his ledger, while Lleyton Hewitt, Radek Stepanek and Stan Wawrinka have six apiece.
- Bellucci is 5-28 lifetime against opponents ranked in the top 10 including an active streak of 14 consecutive losses.
- Murray is making his 10 straight appearance in the third round or better at the US Open, but he’s failed to make it past the quarter-finals since winning the title in 2012.
- Bellucci is trying to become the first Brazilian to reach the fourth round of the US Open since Gustavo Kuerten in 2002.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to Arthur Ashe Stadium for tonight’s third-round match between 2012 US Open champion Andy Murray and No30 seed Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil.
The world No3 enters tonight’s nightcap off a five-set win over France’s Adrian Mannarino that required him to fight back from two sets down for the eighth time in his career. He’ll be looking for his first career win over Bellucci, who won in straight sets in their lone previous meeting at the 2011 Madrid Masters.
The night session’s first match between world No2 Simona Halep and American qualifier Shelby Rogers has just ended with Halep prevailing in straight sets, meaning Murray and Bellucci should be on court shortly.
Bryan will be here shortly. In the meantime check out Kevin Mitchell’s preview of tonight’s match.
Andy Murray expects to have to deal with his head cold at least until the fourth round of the US Open – if he gets past the 30th seed, Thomaz Bellucci, on Saturday – and he is not looking for sympathy.
“The only thing I’ve taken is vitamin C,” he said after spluttering through five tough sets against Adrian Mannarino on Thursday night and wary of any banned substances lurking in other medications.
“The doctors that are here and part of the Tour can prescribe you stuff that’s fine but there’s no real cure. Hopefully it takes three or four days before it’s out of the system. That’s one of the things about being an athlete. It’s survival of the fittest. There’s not much you can take.”
