ATP Challenger Biella Final: Top seed Andy Murray suffers shock loss to Illya Marchenko

ATP Challenger Biella Final: Top seed Andy Murray suffers shock loss to Illya Marchenko
Andy Murray 1 1
Andy Murray

British tennis ace Andy Murray wasn’t allowed to take part in the Australian Open 2021 as he had tested positive for COVID-19. However, Murray decided to play tennis at any cost and enrolled himself at a Challenger Event in Biella, Italy. Murray looked in good touch throughout the tournament as his class shone through and helped him get past his significantly lower-ranked opponents with ease.

Murray reached the final of the tournament and looked to be the favorite to win as he faced off against Ukraine’s Illya Marchenko. However, he was shocked in the match as he went down 6-2, 6-4.

The final – as it happened

Andy Murray 6
Andy Murray

Murray began the first set with his serve and got off to a horror start as he was broken in the very first game. He was then broken again with the score at 3-1 and there was no looking back for his opponent who clinched the first set 6-2.

In the second set, Murray was under huge pressure and the Brit crumbled as he was broken in the very first game yet again. There were no breaks thereafter as Illya sealed the set 6-4 to win the final.

The match turned out to be yet another disappointing loss for Murray who hasn’t been at his best ever since he suffered a hip injury. It will now be very difficult for him to regain his form of yore that helped make him one of the ‘Big Four’ which has now become the ‘Big Three’.

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