Andy Murray battled past Paolo Lorenzi 7-6 (7-4) 5-7 6-4 6-2 to advance to the fourth round at the US Open despite 47 errors. Murray has become the third player to reach the third round after Kyle Edmund and Daniel Evans. This has been the first time since 1968 that three British players have advanced to the third round at Flushing Meadows.
Lorenzi, who is now the best Italian ranked player in 40th position, broke Murray to take a 5-4 lead. The British star dropped his serve for just his second time in this tournament. The number 2 seed broke back in the next game as Lorenzi made an unforced error. Murray got a mini-break to win the tie-break 7-4.
In the second set Murray and Lorenzi traded breaks. Lorenzi broke again to take a 4-2 lead. The Dunblane star earned two break points to get back on serve. Murray converted his first chance as Lorenzi sent his backhand into the net. Lorenzi broke serve to 15 on his first set point in the 12th game for 7-5 after a forehand error from Murray.
Murray got an early break in the first game of the third set and consolidated it to take a 2-0 lead. At 1-3 Lorenzi dropped his serve for the second time in the set. Murray held his service game to love to race out to a 5-1 lead.
Murray missed a set point at 5-1 40-30 before holding his service game to 15 with an ace to seal the third set.
Murray broke serve in the first game of the fourth set before saving a break-back point in the next game to take a 2-0 lead. At 3-2 Murray saved a break point with a forehand volley.
The 2012 US Open champion and double Olympic gold medallist converted his second match point at 5-3 with his second break of the set after three hours and 17 minutes.
“Lorenzi is an extremely solid player and doesn not give you many cheap points. I was trying to ger cheap points. I was going for too much. When I slowed things down and waited for the right shot to go for, my unforced errors went down, the winners went up and the scoreboard started working in my favour2, said Murray
