Murray survives another 5-setter
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ANDY Murray avoided suffering his earliest grand slam defeat for eight years by clawing his way into the French Open third round with a five-set win over swashbuckling French journeyman Mathias Bourgue yesterday.
The British second seed, who survived a five-set thriller in the first round, eventually won 6-2, 2-6, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Murray appeared to be on course for an easy win when he was a set and 2-0 up against the 164th-ranked wildcard who had never played a Tour-level match before this week.
But the Scot went into a mid-match meltdown as Bourgue won eight games in a row, including 16 successive points, by torturing his more celebrated rival with a mix of devilish dropshots, flying forehands and venomous volleys.
The 22-year-old Frenchman kept up his antics to take the third set before Murray’s survival skills finally kicked in.
Murray’s life is unlikely to get much easier in the next round as he will face 37-year-old big-serving Croatian Ivo Karlovic, the oldest man to reach the third round of a grand slam for 25 years, for a place in the last 16. The 27th-seed served 41 aces in a 6-7 (2), 6-3, 7-6 (3), 6-7 (4), 12-10 win over Australian wildcard entry Jordan Thompson.
Earlier, defending champion Stanislas Wawrinka labored to a 7-6 (7), 6-3, 6-4 win over Japan’s Taro Daniel.
The third-seeded Swiss fended off two set points against world No. 93 Daniel in an opening tie-break, and Wawrinka was also forced to rally from a break down in the third set before wrapping up a straight-sets victory.
Having narrowly avoiding becoming the first reigning Roland Garros champion to lose in the first round when he was taken to five sets by Lukas Rosol, Wawrinka was relieved to eventually come through unscathed against a player with just one grand slam win to his name.
“I’m happy to get through in three sets. For sure it was some up and down, could have been better, but winning three sets, it’s always good, and in general I think it’s been a good day,” said Wawrinka.
Wawrinka will face 32nd-ranked Frenchman Jeremy Chardy, whom he has beaten in all four previous meetings, for a place in the last 16.
Fifth-seeded Kei Nishikori is already in gear. The 2014 US Open finalist broke Andrey Kuznetsov of Russia six times and saved seven break points in a 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 win.
Another Japanese player also is impressing. Still 18 and playing in only her second major tournament, Naomi Osaka also has yet to drop a set. After beating 32nd-seeded Jelena Ostapenko in the first round, she advanced to the third round by beating Mirjana Lucic-Baroni 6-3, 6-3.
Osaka also reached the third round in her first grand slam event, this year’s Australian Open. She next plays 2014 French Open finalist Simona Halep. The sixth-seeded Romanian rallied from 1-4 down in the first set to beat Zarina Diyas 7-6 (5), 6-2.
With third-ranked Angelique Kerber and fifth-ranked Victoria Azarenka both falling in the first round, Garbine Muguruza has a path through the women’s draw.
Ranked fourth, the 2015 Wimbledon finalist won 6-2, 6-0 against Myrtille Georges, a French wildcard entry.
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova and 2009 French Open winner Svetlana Kuznetsova also advanced.
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