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Andy Murray seals first straight-sets win in 2023, Carlos Alcaraz sinks Thanasi Kokkinakis at Indian Wells
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Published 12/03/2023 at 09:04 GMT
Andy Murray has developed a reputation this year for playing marathon matches, but he quickly dispatched Radu Albot in straight sets in one hour and 42 minutes on Saturday evening. Murray could be on a collision course with Carlos Alcaraz in the fourth round at Indian Wells should the Scot be able to beat fellow Brit Jack Draper. Alcaraz beat Australia's Thanasi Kokkinakis in straight sets.
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Andy Murray is through to the third round of Indian Wells after recording his first straights-sets win in 2023 and his first since October 2022.
The 35-year-old beat Moldova's Radu Albot 6-4 6-3 in one hour and 42 minutes to set up a clash with fellow Brit Jack Draper in the next round after his win over Dan Evans earlier in the day.
"I felt very nervous today. I’m not sure exactly why,” Murray said in his on-court interview. "Obviously I’ve played a lot of tennis coming in, maybe I saw it was an opportunity for me. Maybe wasn’t as well prepared.
"I’d gone over my strategy and everything with my team to play (Pablo) Carreno Busta and then found out late last night the change of opponent.
"We’d not played each other before, and maybe [I] thought it was a bit of an opportunity.
“Had lots of break points again, wasn’t quite able to get them. It was quite tricky conditions at the beginning, very windy. But I did well in the end to get through.”
Murray was initially due to play Pablo Carreno Busta in the next round, but an elbow injury forced the Spaniard to make a late withdrawal and lucky loser Albot took his place.
The former world No. 1 won 78 per cent of his first-serve points and did not face a single break point en route to victory. Murray also made just 18 unforced errors compared to Albot's 35.
Top seed Carlos Alcaraz is also through to the third round after a comfortable 6-3 6-3 win over Thanasi Kokkinakis in one hour and 18 minutes.
Alcaraz, who reached the semi-finals at Indian Wells last year, showed no signs of the hamstring injury that had ruled him out for two weeks.
The Spaniard, who could return to world No. 1 with victory at this year's event, hit 21 winners against the world No. 94 and dropped just one point on his serve in the opening set.
"I feel really comfortable playing here, staying here. I felt the love since I came onto the court" Alcaraz said in his post-match interview. "I have great memories, I made my first semi-finals at a Masters 1000 here, had that match against Rafa (Nadal)... It's so special to come back here.
"I would say I played my best, apart from everything: the points that I have to defend, the semi-finals that I have to defend.
"I tried not to think about that, just to play my game, to enjoy playing here. Of course I tried to make people enjoy watching tennis here... That's what I liked from tonight."
Alcaraz will next play No. 31 seed Tallon Griekspoor who beat Guido Pella 7-6(3) 7-6(4) earlier on Saturday.
Should Alcaraz overcome the Dutchman, he will face either Murray for the third time or a second meeting with Draper in the fourth round.
Reigning champion Taylor Fritz is also into the next round after coming from a set down to beat compatriot Ben Shelton 4-6 6-4 6-3 in their first meeting on the ATP Tour.
"He's a really good player," the world No. 5 said about this year's Australian Open quarter-finalist. "I expected him to come out serving well. He was playing well. He had nothing to lose so I did expect him to come out with a really high level.
"I think I was ready for it. I just had to regroup and find a way to problem-solve. He's an incredible player, an extremely tough first match to play, so I'm happy to get through it."
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