(Tennis news) Italian tennis player Andrea Vavassori defeated Andy Murray 6-2, 7-6 (7) in the Madrid Open to record the biggest win of his career and will now take on Daniil Medvedev in his next match. Vavassori defeated Murray in one hour and 33 minutes, winning 76% of net points. The Italian squandered a break point in the second set but held on in the tie-break to secure his victory. 

Murray has now lost four consecutive matches, equalling the worst run of his professional career so far. The Scottish player has lost the first match of his third consecutive tournament, having failed to go past the first round in the Monte Carlo Masters and the Miami Open. However, Murray did show glimpses of his vintage best, finding a way back in the second set. He lost the first four games and went on an early break down in the second set. Murray made too many unforced errors and didn’t have an answer to Vavassori’s serve. 

Speaking after the match, Andy Murray said “It wasn’t great. I started to play a bit better towards the end but the start was slow. He played very well at the beginning, and he’s serving huge. Some of the errors are hard to explain. Whilst I feel fit and healthy, I would like to give it a go,” he said. “But I also have ambitions of competing for Wimbledon titles and that sort of stuff and, I know that sitting here today probably doesn’t sound realistic, but I do believe that that’s a possibility.”

Vavassori said “It is a dream come true. To play at a tournament like this, in a court like this against a true champion like him. I have followed his whole career. He is a hero for everybody on the Tour. I think until the second half of the second set, I played the best tennis of my life. Then the nerves came in, but at the end, just joy.”

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