Stat of the Day: Andy Murray gets his first Top 10 win of the year

After pushing them close all year but coming up short every time, Andy Murray finally got over the line in Vienna on Monday, beating No. 10-ranked Hubert Hurkacz, 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-3, for his first Top 10 win of the year.

“It’s a good feeling,” he said after the two-hour, 41-minute victory.

Murray had been 0-5 against Top 10 players this year going into the match, though most of them were at least tight two-setters:
~ l. to No. 8 Rublev in Rotterdam 2nd Rd, 7-5, 6-2
~ l. to No. 9 Berrettini in Queen’s Club 2nd Rd, 6-3, 6-3
~ l. to No. 3 Tsitsipas in US Open 1st Rd, 2-6, 7-6 (7), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
~ l. to No. 10 Ruud in San Diego 2nd Rd, 7-5, 6-4
~ l. to No. 4 Zverev in Indian Wells 3rd Rd, 6-4, 7-6 (4)

It definitely wasn’t easy in Vienna—after missing out on a match point at 6-5 in the second set tie-break, which Hurkacz hit a huge backhand winner on, Murray actually found himself down a break early in the third. But he broke back right away and eventually closed it out with an ace on his third match point.

“It was obviously a very tight match. It could have gone either way,” he said. “I had chances in the second set, didn’t get it, then the third set I was a break down, and he’s not an easy guy to break, especially indoors. Thankfully I got the break back in the next game and from there probably deserved to get over the line.”

Murray finished the match with 28 winners to 18 unforced errors, which included some very strong serving numbers: 10 aces to 3 double faults.

Hurkacz even had great numbers on the day, finishing with 42 winners to 30 unforced errors, including 12 aces to 0 double faults.

Murray is now 103-88 against Top 10 players in his career.