The 2012 champion, Andy Murray turned back the clock and produced a stellar show in the first round of the US Open 2021 but eventually lost to the third seed Tsitsipas in a tightly-contested marathon match of the first round. Tsitsipas won the match 2-6, 7-6 (7), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, in four hours and 49 minutes.
Murray was angered by the 2021 French Open finalist as he took an eight-minute toilet break before the decider of their first-round match. After the match, Andy Murray says he “lost respect” for Stefanos Tsitsipas as the No.3 seed took lengthy bathroom breaks. The 23-year-old had received medical treatment on his left foot after losing the third set and went to the bathroom after winning the fourth set. Murray complained to officials after he was broken to start the fifth set and eventually lost the match.
“It’s nonsense. And he knows it, as well”: Andy Murray
“It’s not so much leaving the court. It’s the amount of time. It’s nonsense and he knows it. That’s annoying for me because it sounds like sour grapes because you’ve lost a match.”
“It’s just disappointing because I feel it influenced the outcome of the match. I’m not saying I necessarily win that match, for sure, but it had influence on what was happening after those breaks. You could argue that I shouldn’t let that affect me. But genuinely it is difficult, like, when you’re playing such a brutal match in those conditions to have those breaks. Physically you can’t stop that from affecting you. Mentally, yes, but physically you can’t.” he added
“I don’t think I broke any rules”: Stefanos Tsitsipas
Tsitsipas said he didn’t break any rules and that he was changing his clothes in the bathroom.
“I don’t think I broke any rules,” he said. “I played by the guidelines, how everything is. Yeah, definitely something for both of us to kind of chat about and make sure. I don’t know how my opponent feels when I’m out there playing the match. It’s not really my priority. As far as I’m playing by the rules and sticking to what the ATP says is fair, then the rest is fine.”