That’s all for now
Murray is through to a second-round meeting with Adrian Mannarino, a match that will likely generate slightly less publicity than tonight’s opener. Thanks much for following along with us. Be sure to check back later for Kevin Mitchell’s match report.
Murray on Kyrgios
Kyrgios walks off the court to applause as Murray joins ESPN’s Brad Gilbert for an on-court interview.
“He’s unpredictable, he can play all of the shots, he serves extremely well, he’s a fantastic athlete,” says Murray of Kyrgios. “It’s tough to get it out of his strike zone.”
Murray wins fourth set and match!
Fourth set: Murray 6-1 Kyrgios
At 15-15, Kyrgios fires a 132mph ace. But a pair of quick points from Murray give the No3 seed a match point only 27 minutes into the fourth set. Murray serves down the middle but Kyrgios’s return sails far past the baseline and it’s over.
Fourth set: Murray 5-1 Kyrgios* (*denotes next server)
A quick point for Kyrgios to give the Aussie a glimmer of hope at 0-15, but three quick errors as he goes for broke to the lines give Murray a game point at 40-15. A 127mph ace seals the hold.
Murray breaks!
Fourth set: *Murray 4-1 Kyrgios (*denotes next server)
Kyrgios quickly falls behind 15-40, giving Murray a pair of break-point chances. He saves he first with an ace, but a 119mph second serve misses the box and now he’s a double break down. Would require something special for the Aussie to extricate himself from this situation.
Fourth set: Murray 3-1 Kyrgios* (*denotes next server)
More careless play by Kyrgios. With Murray serving at 40-30, Kyrgios jumps on a second serve and immediately plays his way into the rally, but badly misplays what would have been a simple drop-shot winner. Not good. Some more of your reactions via Twitter.
@BryanAGraham leaving personal issues aside I wanna see @NickKyrgios get up here. On court it's abt tennis and this kid can play. C'Mon lad!
— Kaushik Prasasd (@KaushikAPrasad) September 2, 2015
@BryanAGraham Have to say that although I'm an Aussie, I'm going for Murray. Brats can be fun sometimes, but Kyrgios needs to grow up!
— Dave Smartt (@smarttdj) September 2, 2015
Fourth set: *Murray 2-1 Kyrgios (*denotes next server)
Kyrgios nets a drop shot from the baseline to bring it to 30-30 and the crowd murmurs, but he then pipes in an ace to pull within game point and batters Murray into a forced error to stay within touching distance.
Fourth set: Murray 2-0 Kyrgios* (*denotes next server)
A comfortable hold for Murray as Kyrgios seems to have suffered another lapse in focus. He’ll need to shake himself out of it soon enough because he’s running out of time.
Updated
Murray breaks!
Fourth set: *Murray 1-0 Kyrgios (*denotes next server)
Kyrgios, after leaving the court between sets (despite holding all the momentum), broken at love to open the fourth. SMDH. Then he’s warned by chair umpire Carlos Ramos for obscenity.
Kyrgios breaks, wins third set!
Third set: Murray 4-6 Kyrgios
How the worm turns! Two bang-bang points for Kyrgios and all of a sudden he’s got Murray in a 0-30 hole. Then the Scot mixes in a hugely untimely double fault to give Kyrgios three break-point chances. He needs only one and we’re heading to a fourth set.
Kyrgios has twice won matches from two sets down: a 3-6, 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-5, 10-8 win over Richard Gasquet at last year’s Wimbledon, and a 5-7, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(5), 8-6 marathon against Andreas Seppi in the fourth round of this year’s Aussie Open.
Updated
Third set: *Murray 4-5 Kyrgios (*denotes next server)
Another incredibly quick love hold for Kyrgios, who for all the lapses in focus and concentration is still in the fight. Here’s a word from Herb Guazon in Kyrgios’s defense, via email:
I cant believe the amount of animosity from Aussies against Kyrgios – his a young talented player who made a mistake but in typical Australian bandwagon behaviour, the abandonment shown is as disgraceful as his comments. I hope he pulls through and plays awesome in the next coming majors and place egg on the face of my fellow Australians.
Updated
Third set: Murray 4-4 Kyrgios* (*denotes next server)
Three quick points for Murray but he’s denied the love hold when he clubs a forehand past the baseline. On the next point he casually cruches a winner into the corner. Effortless.
Updated
Third set: *Murray 3-4 Kyrgios (*denotes next server)
Kyrgios punctuates another comfortable hold with a casual inside-out forehand that Murray doesn’t even make a move toward. Here’s Dale Nankivell, via email.
Sad as it is, I am an Aussie, living in Toronto, hoping that Murray, a Pom, gives my little compatriot upstart a thrashing. I can’t believe I feel this way, but that would be a good outcome and maybe help Kyrgios mature a little (actually, a lot!).
Third set: Murray 3-3 Kyrgios* (*denotes next server)
Another hold for Murray, who’s doing it with his serve (a 16th ace), his forehand (a winner there) and backhand (and there). On serve in the third. Crowd strangely muted, no doubt taken out by the strange rhythm and textures of this one.
Third set: *Murray 2-3 Kyrgios (*denotes next server)
A third straight love hold. Fairly straightforward but Kyrgios does produce a highlight at 30-0 with a beautifully executed volley under duress.
Third set: Murray 2-2 Kyrgios* (*denotes next server)
Murray holds at love just as quickly. Eight straight points for the 2012 champ.
Murray breaks!
Third set: *Murray 1-2 Kyrgios (*denotes next server)
Kyrgios broken at love. Probably took 45 seconds. Could it have happened any other way?
Updated
Kyrgios breaks!
Third set: Murray 0-2 Kyrgios* (*denotes next server)
Two quick points for Murray before he nets a forehand off a sharply struck Kyrgios return to make it 30-15. And then an extended rally with some excellent shotmaking from Kyrgios ends when Murray nets a backhand. Another long rally – the longest of the match at 26 strokes – ends when a Murray backhand skids off the netcord over the baseline. Murray erases it with his 13th ace. Kyrgios has had 10 break-point chances and converted just one. He’ll have an 11th after that wonderfully struck return winner just now, and he’ll squander that one too, dumping a backhand from behind the baseline into the net and throwing his racket to the floor in a rage. Yet another break-point chance for Kyrgios after a return winner, but he goes for the instant gratification of a forehand winner down the line and overcooks it. After all that, Murray hits a winner from deuce and he’s a point from the hold. Kyrgios brings it back to deuce with a forehand winner into the open court on the net appraoch. Now Murray misses wide on a forehand and Kyrgios will have a 13th look at a break point. Finally Murray errs, dumping a shot into the net, and Kyrgios has the break!
Here’s Karen Alston, via email:
Watching Kyrgios is like watching a 12 year old child except, hopefully, the child wouldn’t comment that everything was’Fuc..... B....... Man! This is supposed to be Men’s Singles.
Imbecile!
Well tell us what you really think!
Third set: *Murray 0-1 Kyrgios (*denotes next server)
Someone put a tent on this circus. It’s coming undone a bit here for Kyrgios, who apparently will not settle for the simple shot when the highlight-reel version will do. He quickly falls behind a break point by virtue of a series of loose points, but he somehow manages to get away with the hold by stringing together three points from 30-40 down.
Murray wins second set!
Second set: Murray 6-3
Kyrgios nets a backhand to cap a comfortable love hold for Murray. These two have now played 10 sets and Murray’s won them all: 6-2, 6-2, 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-3, 6-4, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5, 6-3.
Second set: *Murray 5-3 Kyrgios (*denotes next server)
A very quick Kyrgios hold in less than a minute and Murray will serve for the second set. Here’s Carole Wyman, via email:
Am I the only one who objects to the number of quick glances this guy takes at the big screen while he plays? Yeah, he’s good but I find those looks at himself to be annoying. He could probably blow Murray away if he concentrated on what was happening instead of on himself!
Second set: Murray 5-2 Kyrgios* (*denotes next server)
These players are both working incredibly quickly. Just like that Kyrgios has a chance at 30-40, but Murray saves it with a service winner. Deuce. A blistering forehand winner by Kyrgios on the run – what shotmaking! – and he’s got another look at a break. (And after Murray faults wide he’ll get a look at a second serve.) Kyrgios attempts to pounce on it but Murray comes to the net and puts the point away quickly with a volley on the approach. Well played. Murray nets a backhand and whacks his sneaker with his racket in disgust. Murray again saves it at the net, rejecting Kyrgios’s passing attempt from the baseline with a simple volley winner. Kyrgios tries a tweener half-volley – an incredibely careless shot on a point he could have won – and now Murray has game point. (John McEnroe over US Open radio: “If I were Hewitt, I would walk out of the stadium right now.”) They trade errors and it’s advantage Murray, then Kyrgios nets a return to give the hold to Murray.
Meanwhile in sports business tête-à-têtes, Adidas takes a shot at Under Armour over Murray on Twitter.
You can choose armour, or you can choose a weapon. #ImpactTheGame pic.twitter.com/9rXFn5SpA7
— adidas tennis (@adidastennis) September 2, 2015
Updated
Murray breaks! (Or, rather, Kyrgios breaks himself)
Second set: *Murray 4-2 Kyrgios (*denotes next server)
More faux-disinterest from Kyrgios during the changeover. Quick service winner by Kyrgios, but he flails at a volley and misses at the net to bring it to 15-15. Two more very loose points by Kyrgios and it’s quickly 15-40. A sprayed forehand by Kyrgios and just like that he’s been broken in less than 60 seconds. How quickly that turned. Gavin Caudle with a question via email: “Is the crowd noticeably for or against Kyrgios?”
Before that last game I’d say it was 50/50. If anything a tad in Kyrgios’s favor as the crowd would love to see a match that lives up to the immense hype and they’ll get behind the underdog, but that game may have been a bit careless for their tastes.
Second set: Murray 3-2 Kyrgios* (*denotes next server)
At 15-15, Kyrgios jumps on a second serve and delivers a series of powerful groundstrokes that keep Murray on the back heel until he nets a backhand. Another winner and all of a sudden he’s got two break points at 15-40. Murray saves the first, then Kyrgios goes for broke on a forehand down the line that misses wide by several inches. No one can blame him for not being aggressive. Deuce. A half-volley winner on the following point gives Kyrgios a third break-point chance, but a clinical Murray service winner erases it yet again. A 127mph ace by Murray gives him a game point, while Kyrgios fails to return his next offering between the lines. Still on serve in the second.
Second set: *Murray 2-2 Kyrgios (*denotes next server)
Kyrgios in trouble at 15-30, but a well-timed net approach followed by a volley winner makes it 30-30. A badly missed half-volley – a shot that’s troubled Kyrgios badly on this and many other days – and he’s break point down. Saves it to bring it to deuce, but then Murray earns a second break-point chance with a cross-court winner that’s initially ruled out but called a winner after Murray challenges successfully. Kyrgios saves that also, then fires a pair of forehand winners to escape with the hold.
Second set: Murray 2-1 Kyrgios* (*denotes next server)
At 15-15, an extended corner-to-corner baseline rally ends when the racket flies out of Kyrgios’s hands and clatters across the court. The ball sails out and it’s 30-15 to Murray. What could happen next?
#Krygios 2: The Great Racquet Slip #USOpen @Tennis pic.twitter.com/wnDjUUpuo4
— Jonathan Scott (@jonscott9) September 2, 2015
Murray with a backhand winner to pull within game point. Then Kyrgios misplays a drop shot, allowing Murray to respond with one of his own to seal the hold.
Updated
Second set: *Murray 1-1 Kyrgios (*denotes next server)
Kyrgios holds in less than 90 seconds. Winning four of five abbreviated points and working incredibly quickly here.
Second set: Murray 1-0 Kyrgios* (*denotes next server)
Kyrgios, who appeared to feign sleep during the changeover, jumps ahead 0-15 on a Murray error. The Aussie butchers a half-volley at the net, then falls behind 30-15 on a Murray’s eighth ace of the match. A service winner and unforced error by Kyrgios later and Murray’s got the comfortable hold.
Only #Krygios. Does he need a fainting couch? #USOpen @Tennis pic.twitter.com/ssltt9h7a9
— Jonathan Scott (@jonscott9) September 2, 2015
Updated
Murray breaks, wins first set!
First set: Murray 7-5 Kyrgios
Kyrgios slips into a 0-15 hole when he can’t retrieve a Murray lob, but levels it with an overhand smash on the next point. Kyrgios nets a running backhand and once again he’s two points from losing the first set. He misfires on another running backhand, this time overcooking it, and now he’s down two set points. Saves the first with another overhand, but Murray pounces on the following second serve for an emphatic return winner.
Updated
First set: Murray 6-5 Kyrgios* (*denotes next server)
The players trade winners early but Murray’s seventh unforced error on the backhand side makes it 30-30. Murray strikes a forehand winner to make it 40-30, perhaps not the smartest tactically constructed point by Kyrgios. “What am I doing?” he shouts, a remark clearly picked up by the on-court mic. Another error and Murray holds, leaving Kyrgios to serve for a first-set tiebreaker.
First set: *Murray 5-5 Kyrgios (*denotes next server)
Kyrgios immediately finds himself in the danger zone by falling behind 0-30. Threads a winner to pull within 15-30, then gets the best of Murray in an eight-stroke rally that ends when the Scot nets a backhand. Murray still within two points of the set. Kyrgios with a 131mph ace. Or not! Murray challenges it and it’s taken off the board and second serve. Oh dear and Kyrgios double faults! It’s 30-40 and Murray has set point. Extended baseline rally here ends when Kyrgios makes a quick approach and mixes in a nifty drop shot that Murray can’t retrieve. Brilliantly played, his best point of the match so far and when he needed it most. Deuce. Another wonderful backhand from the baseline flummoxes Murray at the net, giving him game point, and he escapes with the hold by pounding another winner into the corner.
First set: Murray 5-4 Kyrgios* (*denotes next server)
Kyrgios with a half-chance at 15-30, but Murray uncorks a 123mph ace to bring it to 30-all. Then a 124mph ace to move within game point. Kyrgios with a flat cross-court backhand that Murray can only return into the net and they’re at deuce. Consecutive service winners by the Scot and he’s out with the hold.
First set: *Murray 4-4 Kyrgios (*denotes next server)
Kyrgios mistimes his leap completely on an overhand smash and whiffs. Laughs from the crowd but the Aussie doesn’t completely share in the humor. Service winner levels it at 15-15, but he mixes in another unforced error and all of a sudden he’s in a 15-30 hole. Three quick points from Kyrgios and they’re on level terms at 4-4. Hard to tell if Kyrgios is settling into the match or ... something else.
First set: Murray 4-3 Kyrgios* (*denotes next server)
Murray with three quick points to stake a 40-0 lead, then Kyrgios conjures a moment of magic with a between-the-legs return followed by a blistering forehand cross-court winner on the approach. Someone Vine that.
Nick Kyrgios: Enigma http://t.co/HIrpuU4Qkm
— Sportlobster (@sportlobster) September 1, 2015
Alas, it’s for naught as Murray’s forehand winner on the next point seals the hold.
Updated
First set: *Murray 3-3 Kyrgios (*denotes next server)
A comfortable hold for Kyrgios as Murray misses on a couple of backhands and Kyrgios is mixing up his shotmaking to keep the world No3 guessing.
First set: Murray 3-2 Kyrgios* (*denotes next server)
Kyrgios with a winner to put Murray in a 0-15 hole, but Murray rattles off four straight points and now during the changeover Nick appears to be having words with chair umpire Carlos Ramos about the ushers: “What are they doing letting people in in the middle of the game: 15-love and they let 30 people in!”
If this were an ATP event, Kyrgios would already be suspended...
— Kamakshi Tandon (@Kamakshi_Tandon) September 1, 2015
Updated
Murray breaks!
First set: *Murray 2-2 Kyrgios (*denotes next server)
Kyrgios hits a forehand down the line that’s good enough for a winner against just about anyone else, but Murray somehow manages to retrieve it for a blistering cross-court winner. Another winner by Murray and all of a sudden Kyrgios is in a 0-30 hole. Kyrgios tries a cheeky drop shot, misplays it badly and Murray how has triple break point. The Aussie saves the first two, but overcooks a forehand and fails to consolidate the break. Back on level terms in the first. Kyrgios upset about something, apparently the late-arriving fans.
"Middle of the game. Unreal." -Nick Kyrgios already ranting, this about fans being slow to seats. "Fucking bullshit," he mouths. #usopen
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) September 1, 2015
Updated
Kyrgios breaks!
First set: Murray 1-2 Kyrgios* (*denotes next server)
Kyrgios forces it to 30-30, then earns a second break-point chance with a cross-court forehand winner into the corner that Murray can barely get a racket on. Murray looks to serve his way out of it again with a heat-seeking serve down the middle, but Kyrgios gets it back and Murray misses his approach shot long. Game on.
First set: *Murray 1-1 Kyrgios (*denotes next server)
A pair of forehand winners by Kyrgios to open his first service game, followed by a 126mph ace, one that Murray inspects for a beat before declining to challenge. At 40-0, Murray pounces on a second serve and forces into a forehand error, but second ace by Kyrgios seals the hold.
First set: Murray 1-0 Kyrgios* (*denotes next server)
Kyrgios, with a mohawk that’s more Travis Bickle than David Beckham, in a black Nike shirt with white back, black shorts and fluorescent pink sneakers. Murray forced into an opener, then frames a forehand badly and he finds himself in an 0-30 hole. He moves it back to 30-30 with an ace followed by a Kyrgios error. Murray then nets a backhand and all of a sudden the Aussie has a break-point chance in the first game. He saves it with a 127mph ace, followed by a 125mph ace to move within game point. Now Kyrgios drops back a bit on his return position, but a Murray winner gives him the hold.
Here we go
Kyrgios won the toss and chose to defer. Murray elects to serve.
Not much longer now
“Two minutes,” calls the chair umpire as the late-arriving crowd trickles into a more-than-half-empty Ashe. Never change, New York.
The players are on court
Kyrgios and Murray both speak briefly with ESPN’s Brad Gilbert for televised interviews before emerging to cheers on Ashe.
“I’ve been on edge all day to get out here,” Kyrgios says. “I think [Murray] is the greatest athlete on tour. Obviously his defense is second to none. I’ve got to play aggressive.”
Says Murray: “I need to play a very good match. He’s an extremely talented guy and quite unpredictable in the way he plays.”
Third time lucky?
These two have met at grand slams twice previously this year, with Murray winning a hard-fought Australian Open quarter-final and a more straightforward French Open second-rounder, both in straight sets. Murray holds a 3-0 edge in the all-time series, having cruised to a 6-2, 6-2 win in their inaugural meeting at last year’s Toronto Masters.
Tale of the Tape
As we wait for the players to emerge from the tunnel into Arthur Ashe Stadium, here’s a look at how tonight’s combatants match up.
Murray v Kyrgios
28 Age 20
2 Ranking 37
56-9 2015 W-L 18-14
537-160 Career W-L 30-25
4 2015 titles 0
35 Career titles 0
150-36 Career grand slam record 16-9
$39,811,020 Career prize money $1,617,618
Welcome to tonight’s showdown between No3 seed Andy Murray and Nick Kyrgios. Hard to remember a opening-round match at the US Open that’s generated this much buzz. Current mood?
Updated
Bryan will be here shortly. In the meantime why not read Kevin Mitchell’s preview of tonight’s opening-round blockbuster:
Kyrgios looks relaxed and confident – at least on the surface – after shipping more flak than a B-52 bomber. “I’m feeling pretty good. Having Lleyton [Hewitt] on court has helped me a lot,” he told reporters in the players’ garden. “I’ve been practising well and I feel like I’m playing some really good tennis.”
He acknowledges that Murray – one of the few players or commentators not riding the young Australian too hard for his recent on-court misdemeanours – represents a serious challenge. “He’s probably playing the best tennis of his life, winning Montreal and losing to Federer last week, pretty tight,” said Kyrgios, who will face the Scot in Tuesday’s first night match at the Arthur Ashe stadium. “He’s one of the best players in the world at the moment. But I just have to go out there and play the right style of game, and believe I can win.”
While his character flaws have exposed a raw, naive young athlete, the Australian’s swagger has never wavered. Nor has Murray’s, even though he carries more psychic tics, perhaps. He observed that in previous campaigns here, he had not always had the court time he would have liked: “I have come in before having hardly played at all and not felt great at the beginning of the tournament,” he said, “quite nervous and a bit agitated because I knew that I hadn’t played loads.” Not only has Murray played loads, he has played loads of great tennis. He should win in four sets.
