AUSTRALIAN OPEN TENNIS NEWS – ANDY MURRAY BEATS SOUSA & HEADS STRAIGHT TO THE HOSPITAL TO SEE HIS FATHER-IN-LAW WHO COLLAPSED DURING ANA IVANOVIC’S MATCH

Written by: Staff on 23rd January 2016

AUSTRALIAN OPEN TENNIS NEWS - ANDY MURRAY BEATS SOUSA & HEADS STRAIGHT TO THE HOSPITAL TO SEE HIS FATHER-IN-LAW WHO COLLAPSED DURING ANA IVANOVIC'S MATCH

epa05120080 Andy Murray of Britain reacts during his third round match against Joao Sousa of Portugal at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 23 January 2016. EPA/LUKAS COCH AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

Second seed Andy Murray kept alive his chances of reaching the Australian Open final for a fifth time by beat Joao Sousa on Saturday. The second seed knocked out No. 32 seed Sousa 6-2, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 in their third clash in four years at Melbourne Park.

Murray saved a break point in the third and fifth games, before taking control of the 31-minute first set. Sousa capitalised on a number of mis-timed groundstrokes to win only his second set in seven meetings against Murray, breaking at the start and the end of the second set. Murray responded and won five of the first six games in the third set, then continued to grow in confidence in the fourth set.

Earlier in the match, Andy Murray’s father-in-law, Nigel Sears, collapsed while watching his charge, Ana Ivanovic, play Madison Keys on Rod Laver Arena. The third-round match was suspended for an hour before played resumed. (more on Nigel’s condition to follow, but word was he was was sitting up and talking)

Officials and paramedics prepare a stretcher to carry Nigel Sears, coach of Serbia’s Ana Ivanovic, after he collapsed on the stairs of the Rod Laver arena during the third round match between Ivanovic and Madison Keys of the USA at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 23 January 2016. EPA/FILIP SINGER

Murray, competing on Margaret Court Arena, had been unaware of the situation. Afterwards, he left for the hospital with his mother, Judy Murray.

Murray released a statement about the match, following news that his post-match news conference had been cancelled.

“It was tricky. I didn’t feel I was in a great rhythm and wasn’t hitting the ball cleanly at the start. He was hitting the ball great, close to the lines, and making me do a lot of running,” said Murray. Once I started to hit the ball a little bit cleaner towards the end of the match I was able to get him in his backhand corner and dictate more of the points. I just tried to keep fighting. At the end I was actually hitting the ball well and felt better at the end. It was good to get through that one.”

The 28-year-old Murray finished as runner-up to Roger Federer in 2010 and to Novak Djokovic in 2011, 2013 and 2015. Sousa has been bidding to become the first Portuguese player to reach the fourth round at a Grand Slam championship.

Murray next face Australian No. 16 seed Bernard Tomic, who beat compatriot John Millman 6-4, 7-6(4), 6-2 to wrap up play on day six.

( Courtesy of the ATP and Original Link – http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/murray-sousa-australian-open-2016-saturday )

Topics: 10sballs.com, Atp World Tour, AusOpen 2016, Australian Open Tennis, Joao Sousa, Judy Murray, Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne, Nigel Sears, Sports, Tennis News

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dusanVemic says:

January 23, 2016 at 3:30 pm

RT @10sBalls_com: #AusOpen News – Murray Beats Sousa & Heads Straight To The Hospital To See His Father-In-Law
https://t.co/NFPuwzhKBn http…