January 04, (THEWILL) – Andy Murray’s Australian Open preparations were derailed when he lost three sets to world number 76 Facundo Bagnis in the Melbourne Summer Set tournament.
Murray beat old nemesis Rafael Nadal at the Mubadala World Tennis Championships in December, indicating a return to form, but he was unable to achieve another confidence-boosting victory ahead of the first Grand Slam of 2022.
Bagnis won 6-3 5-7 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena, despite the 34-year-old being well below his best.
On his opponent’s serve, he had numerous chances but only converted two of 13 breakpoints, including three in the final game that would have put the deciding set back on serve.
Murray will be competing in the Australian Open for the first time in three years, having missed the previous two editions due to injury and COVID-19.
He has been given a wildcard in 2022 after finishing fifth in Melbourne five times — four times to Novak Djokovic (2016, 2015, 2013, 2011) and once to Roger Federer (2010).
In Abu Dhabi, Murray noted that he was still dreaming of a “fairytale” as he laid out his ambitions for 2022: “The biggest goal is to have a deep run in a Grand Slam and be in the quarter-finals, semi-finals of a Slam, have that sort of fairytale scenario where it’s like, ‘Could he do it again? Is it possible?'”
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