Andy Murray out of Australian Open 2019: Brit tennis legend may have played last match as retirement beckons

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Tom Dutton14 January 2019

Andy Murray could have played the final match of his career after suffering a thrilling five-set defeat to Roberto Bautista Agut at the Australian Open on Monday.

The Brit announced on Friday his decision to step away from the sport in 2019, and revealed the Melbourne tournament could be his last depending on the state of a hip injury which he has battled for 20 months.

A tearful Murray said on Friday: "I want to get to Wimbledon and stop but I'm not certain I can do that."

But the Scot showed signs of life in his 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 6-2 defeat at the Melbourne Arena, displaying impressive mental fortitude to force a decider from two sets down to the delight of mum Judy Murray, who was watching with brother Jamie from the stands.

A huge roar greeted the arrival of the Scot, who waved to the crowd and stuck a thumb in the air, presumably determined to soak it all in.

His opponent, Spaniard Bautista Agut, is known as one of the fittest and grittiest competitors on tour and was sure to give Murray's hip a stern examination.

Murray began the match looking much better than he had in his practice match against Novak Djokovic on Thursday.

He was sending down serves at a good pace and moving OK, particularly out to his backhand, although the forehand remained a problem.

It was a difficult situation for Bautista Agut and Murray produced some fine play to set up a break point in the eighth game but could not take it.

And the following game, with Murray's ever-present limp more in evidence, a netted forehand gave the Spaniard the advantage, and Bautista Agut served out the set 6-4.

In Pictures | Andy Murray

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Murray's chuntering to himself was a reminder that he still very much wanted to win a tennis match, and he stepped up again at the start of the second set, forcing two break points in the second game.

But he could not take either and Bautista Agut broke through again in the fifth game, with Murray simply making too many errors to match his metronomic opponent.

The Scot battled gamely but to no avail and an ace from Bautista Agut clinched the second set 6-4.

Murray dropped serve for the third time to trail 2-1 in the third set only to break straight back, raising his arms aloft after pushing a backhand down the line to finish a vintage point.

And there were more magic moments, such as the backhand down the line that saved a break point at 4-4, Murray leaping into the air and clenching his fist when he took the game.

Support: Murray's mum and brother, Judy and Jamie, watch on at the Melbourne Arena
EPA

Remarkably, a set point followed in the next one, and he would have taken it but for an overrule from umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore on a second serve that was backed up by HawkEye.

Bautista Agut eventually held, and then did so again to force a tie-break, but the crowd were still firmly believing in miracles as Murray moved into a 4-1 lead.

A mis-hit Bautista Agut forehand that dropped over the baseline gave the former world number one two set points, and he took the second with a forehand placed into the open court to win it 7-5, roaring in delight and defiance.

Whether it was to be a heroic last stand or the start of something even more incredible would be decided in the fourth set.

Murray seemed to be moving better than he was in the early stages and he kept pace with Bautista Agut comfortably enough all the way to another tie-break.

This time he surged into a 6-1 lead. Bautista Agut saved three set points but not a fourth as Murray took it 7-4 to force the most unlikely of deciding sets.

But a fifth set was too tall a task for the Brit - by this point visibly in pain - as he was beaten 6-2 after an energy-sapping four-hour marathon match against the No 22 seed.

Additional reporting by Press Association

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