By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Friday June 10, 2022
Andy Murray ousted Stefanos Tsitsipas to set a semifinal with Nick Kyrgios in Stuttgart.
Photo Source: Getty
Andy Murray is closing in on his second ATP final of 2022, after earning his first Top-5 win since 2016 on Friday on the grass in Stuttgart.
The three-time Slam champion knocked off top-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas on Friday at the Boss Open, 7-6(4), 6-3, to improve to 113-23 lifetime on grass.
Murray, who will face Nick Kyrgios for the seventh time in Saturday’s semifinals, saved the only break point he faced and managed the lone break of the match in the sixth game of the second set to pull away from the fifth-ranked Greek.
“I thought I did well,” Murray said. “He served unbelievably well for the first set, I felt like I had very few chances when I was returning. But when he was creating opportunities on my serve, I stayed strong.”
The victory snaps a personal seven-match losing streak against the Top-5 for Murray. His last Top-5 win came against Novak Djokovic in the title match at the 2016 Nitto ATP Finals.
“Second set, I served well and his serve dropped a little bit,” Murray said. “Once I was in the rallies I felt like I was dictating a lot of the points.”
Kyrgios on Murray: One of the Greatest in History
Kyrgios advanced when Marton Fucsovics retired due to injury, trailing 7-6(3), 3-0.
The Aussie improves to 12-4 on the season and will try to win for the second consecutive time against Murray. Kyrgios defeated Murray in their last meeting at the Queen’s Club in 2018.
“I just felt like serving today,” Kyrgios said after his win. “I didn’t feel like running or anything. I know that I can win most of my matches if I serve well – especially on the grass.”
Kyrgios and Murray have been good friends on tour for quite some time.
“Andy’s one of my good friends,” Kyrgios said. “I consider him one of the closer friends I have on tour, and it’s good to see him back and competing at this level, obviously with everything he has gone through with injuries.
“He’s one of the greatest of all-time – I personally think he’s going to go down as one of the best.”