Murray’s Quarter-finals Streak Ends with Loss to Anderson

Andy Murray was sent packing at the fourth round of the US Open, his earliest Grand Slam exit in five years, while 17-time major victor Roger Federer of Switzerland reached the quarterfinals on Monday.

An emotional Murray smashed his racquet – handing it over to a spectator – and argued with the umpire before launching a fightback in the third set, but Anderson dominated the decisive tie-break.

It put Anderson into a grand slam quarter-final for the first time and at his 27th main-draw attempt, and Stan Wawrinka awaits.

The St Stithians old boy has also had wins over Spain’s David Ferrer and a number of victories over reigning French Open champion Stanislas Wawrinka, who Anderson will meet in the quarter finals in New York. Many years’ work has gone into building that sort of consistency. Thomaz Bellucci proved less taxing in round three but Murray began against Anderson with far more mileage in his legs than he would have liked.

Anderson had lost his last four meetings with Murray and had failed to win any of his previous seven fourth round matches at grand slams.

Four years ago, Young beat Wawrinka in a fifth-set tiebreaker in the second round at the US Open.

Federer broke in the last game, ending Isner’s streak of 110 consecutive service holds at Flushing Meadows over the last two years. That was followed by a five-set marathon with Adrian Mannarino, which came in sweltering hot conditions, and needed Murray to come from two sets down to go through. He will now face Swiss French Open champion Stan Wawrinka. Murray appeared to grasp the momentum, but the stoic Anderson calmly continued to smack big serves, rally impressively with the Scot – who possesses one of the game’s best ground games – and attack the net to finish off points.

“But it’s tricky. I’ve been playing on Ashe”.

Murray at last dented his opponent’s searing serve with a break of his own, but Anderson converted set point at the fifth time of asking for a 2-0 lead.

“I’m a little lost for words right now”, the 29-year-old South African said after the match. “f***ing fine me“, he said angrily.

The second set was one Murray felt he let get away.

“I was playing against an excellent player”.

Victoria Azarenka, seeded 20th at the Open, won her match against Varvara Lepchenko of the United States in straight sets – 6-3, 6-4, to book her spot in the quarter finals.

Cape Town – South Africa’s Kevin Anderson has a realistic shot at making the semi-finals of the US Open.