ANDY Murray offered no excuses in the aftermath of his shock defeat by world No 50 Mischa Zverev which sent the Scot crashing out of the Australian Open in the fourth round.
Murray was expected to clinch a first Melbourne title following the early exit of Novak Djokovic, but Zverev yesterday offered a volleying masterclass on Rod Laver Arena to seal a 7-5, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 victory.
The German won a staggering 65 points at the net and served and volleyed 119 times. He also broke Murray on eight separate occasions.
The Scot – usually so adept in the art of the pass and lob – was woefully out of sorts, succumbing to his earliest defeat in this tournament since 2009.
The manner of the defeat prompted queries about whether Murray had been feeling flat ahead of the contest. But the world No 1 said: “I don’t think I was flat. I feel like that’s something I get asked all the time when I lose matches: ‘Were you flat?’ I don’t think I was here.
“I was getting myself pumped up. Sometimes at the end of the sets I was trying to get a little more energy, show more sort of positive body language.
“And I did that at the end of the match, at the end of the first and second sets. It just wasn’t to be.”
Murray’s superb form last season meant that he endured a hectic conclusion to 2016, as he made five consecutive tournament finals. He also reached the last hurdle in Doha earlier this month, before losing to Djokovic.
However, the Scot dismissed any suggestion he has suffered from fatigue. “Obviously, the off-season for me was fairly short just because I had to take a decent break after the Tour Finals,” Murray said.
“But it was a great way to finish last year. I was full of confidence coming into the beginning of this year.
“I prepared as best as I could. Maybe we’ll have to have a look back and assess some things and see maybe if there’s some stuff I could have done differently, or did my opponent just play a great match? Sometimes that can happen as well.
“I don’t know if the end of last season had any bearing on today. I wouldn’t have thought so.”
Zverev is the first player outside the top 40 to beat Murray at a grand slam since the US Open 10 years ago, and his lowest-ranked conqueror since losing in Melbourne to Juan Ignacio Chela in 2006.
“I’m obviously down about [the defeat],” Murray said. “I had great success for a number of months.
Obviously, in the biggest events you want to do your best. Obviously that’s not been the case here. It happens.
“I’ve had tough losses in my career in the past. I’ve come back from them. This is a tough one.
“I’m sure I’ll come back OK from it but right now I’m obviously very down because I wanted to go further in this event, and it wasn’t to be.”
Murray had appeared unlikely to play in Britain’s Davis Cup tie against Canada next month, but the Scot suggested yesterday that his involvement is now a possibility.
“Davis Cup would be next on the schedule but whether I stay here or go home in the meantime, I’m not sure,” Murray said.
Zverev, meanwhile, will now face former world No 1 Roger Federer, who triumphed over Kei Nishikori yesterday.
That match will be a thrilling prospect for Zverev, who has never gone this far before at a grand slam. Indeed the German had lost his last meeting with Murray, two years ago, in a match which ended 6-2, 6-2.
“It was definitely the best match of my life, not only because it was a best-of-five set match, it was at a slam,” Zverev said.
“I don’t know. It was just incredible. I was in a coma.
“Playing Roger will be a dream to me. He inspires me and he was my favourite player growing up.”
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