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Andy Murray dumped out of Queen's in first round by 'lucky loser' Jordan Thompson
Whether it was the heat, the anticipation, or the sheer novelty of facing an Australian opponent so far out of left-field that he had to look him up on YouTube, Andy Murray crumpled on Tuesday night at Queen’s Club to a shocking straight-sets defeat that threw his credentials to win a third Wimbledon title this summer into serious doubt.
Jordan Thompson was barely a headline name in his own kitchen when he caught the bus to Queen’s yesterday lunchtime, on the off-chance of being called up as a lucky loser. Five hours later, as evening gathered over West Kensington, this unassuming 23-year-old from the northern suburbs of Sydney was raising his arms in bewildered triumph at toppling the world No 1.
It was a day of torment for the game’s aristocracy, not to mention the organisers of an event that had enticed five of the world’s top 10 to play here. First Rafael Nadal and Juan Martín del Potro pulled out at late notice, then Milos Raonic, Stan Wawrinka and Murray all found themselves vanquished by unseeded adversaries. At this most tranquil of sports settings, there was blood on the lawns.
By far the greatest chagrin, though, belonged to Murray. No longer could he blame his struggles in 2017 on the absence of coach Ivan Lendl, who was watching courtside. This was a listless and error-littered performance against a player who should, by ranking and relative lack of grasscourt experience, have been little more than cannon fodder. All the worries from his recent slump were writ large in a 7-6, 6-2 loss: the listlessness, the constant on-court mutterings, the woefully errant forehand.
The indignity that Thompson, a young man more accustomed to slumming it at Challenger events in Vietnam than performing for the blazer-and-boater set in W14, inflicted here was stark. Not since Cincinnati in 2015, against Roger Federer, had Murray failed to break serve at least once. But that fine sequence of 136 matches was snapped by an unheralded talent firing on raw adrenalin.
There is no reason to panic just yet. Murray also fell at the first hurdle at Queen’s 2012, but within six weeks he had gone to reach a Wimbledon final and win Olympic gold. He has a remarkable capacity to eliminate the scar tissue of rogue results, as his run to the last 16 of 25 consecutive majors would attest. But there is a sense this time that something is more deeply awry with his game. As Murray has acknowledged, the first comment that Lendl made upon seeing him practise for Roland Garros last month was: “My God, this is not good.” For all that his advance to the semi-finals in Paris arrested the decline, the two have yet, on this evidence, to find a lasting remedy.
“If I play like that, I certainly won’t win Wimbledon,” said Murray, a five-time champion at Queen’s. “It’s a big blow. This tournament has given me great preparation in the past, and when I have done well here Wimbledon has tended to go pretty well, too. It certainly would have helped to have had more matches.”
So fragile is Murray’s confidence after this dismantling by Thompson, just 90th in the world, that he is considering adding more time on grass to his schedule before Wimbledon begins in 12 days’ time. While a late appearance at Eastbourne does not appeal, an exhibition event next week, either at Stoke Park or the Hurlingham Club, has not been discounted. “I haven’t been in this position much, so I wasn’t planning on doing that,” he said. “But it’s possible now.”
For an hour, it had looked as if Murray was simply feeling his way into the first engagement of his grasscourt campaign, but a sense of alarm engulfed him quickly. He was flaying forehands far outside the tramlines and botching drop-shots for which he usually has a gossamer touch. Even a rare chance of a comeback, with three break points early in the second set, swiftly dissolved amid a hail of unforced errors.
“On grass, if you’re seeing things just a split-second late, it can make it even tougher, Murray shrugged. “He was serving well, with a quick motion, and he had a lot of free points. I made poor decisions and I didn’t play well in the big moments.”
An exultant Thompson could hardly believe his luck. Asked whether his ace on match point was the sweetest he had ever struck, he replied, with a bashful smile: “Yeah. When I saw that hit the backboard, I was pretty pumped.” It was just a pity that his parents, Karen and Stephen, who first thrust a racquet into his hands when he was four, could not be here to savour the acclaim. It fell to his coach, Des Tyson, to celebrate like a dervish.
Thompson grew up idolising compatriot Lleyton Hewitt, the consummate grafter, and he looked almost impervious to pressure as the most remarkable result of his life closed in. At one break up in the second, then two, he did not blink, as Murray offered scarcely a vestige of resistance. Appearances, however, can be deceptive. “When I heard I was playing Andy, I was pretty nervous,” he said. “But I wanted to go out there and enjoy it, so I did everything as normal. I just warmed up and had some food.”
All blissfully straightforward, then? Well, not quite. Even the modest Thompson would have to concede that he played out of his skin, making 70 per cent of his first serves and producing groundstrokes of a purity that belied his ranking of 90. For Murray, it threatened to be a long, dark night of the soul. He had begun his day in the blaze of a London summer but he ended it wreathed in shadow.
Murray out
Hmmm, well that wasn't what we were expecting. It's Murray's first loss at Queen's since 2014 and it ends his 12-match winning run on grass.
Credit Jordan Thompson for an inspired display, but that was wretched from Murray. His forehand in particular was dreadful and he failed to break his opponent's serve for the first time in 137 matches.
It completes a bonkers day at Queen's that saw the No 2 and No 3 seeds Stan Wawrinka and Milos Raonic also eliminated to leave the tournament wide open.
For Murray it's back to the drawing board and a couple of weeks of fine-tuning and tweaking ahead of Wimbledon. He and his team will not be panicking, but that was another listless display in what has largely been a very disappointing year.
This is how the winning moment felt
Thompson, the world No 90, remember lost in qualifying and only got to play today because Aljaz Bedene pulled out!
The shocks keep coming at Queen’s ��
World No.90 @jordanthommmo2 beats Murray 7-6(4) 6-2#AegonChampionshipspic.twitter.com/Sc3ISKHDfS— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) June 20, 2017
Game, set and match! Thompson defeats Murray 7-6 (4), 6-2
A zippy forehand winner and an ace take Thompson to 30-0 and two points from victory. But a couple of missed forehands have Murray back in the game at 30-30. An unreturned first serve then takes Thompson to 40-30 and match point! And he takes it with an ace down the T!
Wow, the five-time Queen's champion and world No 1 is out in the first round.
Murray 6-7 (4), 2-5 Thompson* (*next server) - Thompson breaks
This is sensational from Thompson, who somehow earns himself two break points at 15-40 with unreal defence that includes a superlative lob and ends with Murray sending a forehand wide. Murray finally gets his forehand going to save them both, but he soon reverts to type and dumps a dreadful forehand into the net to fall down break point again. And another wayward forehand - this one a few feet wide - hands Thompson the double break!
Thompson will serve for the match.
Murray* 6-7 (4), 2-4 Thompson (*next server)
Thompson remember has not been broken all match, and if he can hold three more times he'll have pulled off by far the biggest win of his career. How's your nerve Jordan?
Well it's looking pretty good this game, as an ace and a superb stop volley help the Aussie to 40-0. He then wraps up a love hold with another unreturnable serve. This is looking potentially catastrophic for Murray, who looks utterly devoid of confidence, especially on the forehand side which has been woefully sub-par.
Murray 6-7 (4), 2-3 Thompson* (*next server) - Thompson breaks!
What a shot that is from Thompson! Murray rips a forehand pass at his feet and the Aussie somehow controls a half-volley drop shot to move to 30-30. Andy then sprays a forehand well long and its a break point for Thompson! And he takes it, as Murray sends a backhand lob.
Thompson is three service holds away from eliminating the five-time champion and world No 1 in the first round!
Murray* 6-7 (4), 2-2 Thompson (*next server)
You have to give a lot of credit here to Thompson, who is serving like a dream. Lots of variety and 67% of his first serves are going in. He holds here to 15 when Murray puts another weak forehand into the net.
Murray 6-7 (4), 2-1 Thompson* (*next server)
More chuntering from Murray but again he just does enough to take care of his serve, holding to 30 as Thompson can't get a return back in play.
Murray* 6-7 (4), 1-1 Thompson (*next server) - Thompson saves three break points and holds
This is more like it from the world No 1, as he races to 0-30 with a nailed overhead and a laser-like backhand pass up the line. Thompson then sprays a sitter of a forehand wide and it's three break points Murray at 0-40 - his first break points of the match. But he can't take any of them - the first two see Andy miss forehand returns and the third is a wild forehand that flies long with the Scot in control of the point. Thompson then bangs down a few big serves and wraps up the hold after a second deuce.
Wasteful from Murray, who is starting to get increasingly irate.
Murray 6-7 (4), 1-0 Thompson* (*next server)
Another game where Murray looks far from comfortable, but he completes a hold to 30 with some excellent hustling and a whipped forehand pass on the run.
Murray* 6-7 (4) Thompson (*next server) - Game and first set Thompson!
A ropey first set from Murray ends fittingly with a limp overhead into the net. Thompson takes the first set tie-break 7-4!
Not a single break point for Murray in that set, which is very unusual for him.
Tie-break: Thompson 6-4 Murray* (*next server)
The first set point is saved by an unreturnable Murray first serve.
Tie-break: Thompson 6-3 Murray* (*next server)
Thumping ace down the T brings Thompson three set points.
Tie-break: Thompson* 5-3 Murray (*next server)
Big serve, forehand winner one-two punch extends Thompson's lead.
Tie-break: Thompson* 4-3 Murray (*next server)
Drop shot drifts wide from Murray and it's Thompson now up the mini-break. Really sloppy shot.
Tie-break: Thompson 3-3 Murray* (*next server)
Double fault from Murray has us back level at the change of ends.
Tie-break: Thompson 2-3 Murray* (*next server)
Textbook serve and volley point from Thompson reduces the arrears.
Tie-break: Thompson* 1-3 Murray (*next server)
A dismal double fault gives Murray the mini-break.
Tie-break: Thompson* 1-2 Murray (*next server)
Thompson puts a forehand wide and we remain on serve.
Tie-break: Thompson 1-1 Murray* (*next server)
Easy put-away volley levels things up.
Tie-break: Thompson 1-0 Murray* (*next server)
Unreturnable serve down the T gets Thompson the first point of the breaker.
Thompson* 6-6 Murray (*next server) - Murray holds and it's a tie-break
Murray's struggles this set summarised here by a limp drop shot that drifts sadly into the net for 0-15. He then puts a backhand approach shot into the bottom of the net after another ropey drop shot and it's 15-30 - Thompson is two points away from the first set. Murray then ups it and crunches away a brilliant backhand, followed by a pin-point ace down the T to go up 40-30, but Thompson levels the game at deuce with a backhand return winner up the line. Andy eventually holds though with another fizzing backhand and then an easy put-away.
We're into a first set tie-break.
Thompson 6-5 Murray* (*next server)
It's a bit of a flat atmosphere at a broiling Queen's Club, and Murray is trying to gee himself up after a playing sluggishly for much of the set. He still can't get make much of an impression on the Thompson serve though and the Australian holds to 30 when Murray nets a forehand. Andy will serve to stay in the set for a second time.
Thompson* 5-5 Murray (*next server)
Formidable serving from Murray - including a huge ace down the T - completes a second straight love hold.
Thompson 5-4 Murray* (*next server)
Glimmer of a break here for Murray as Thompson miscues a forehand to fall down 15-30. A superb serve-volley combo though followed by an ace out wide take the Aussie to 40-30, and it's game Thompson when he sends another ace flying past his opponent. Superb serving from down 15-30 there.
Murray will now serve to stay in the first set.
Thompson* 4-4 Murray (*next server)
Murray using the new balls has a bit more pop on his serves, and he matches Thompson's love hold with one of his own. We remain level in the first set.
Thompson 4-3 Murray* (*next server)
'Crucial' seventh game time now as Thompson serves for the last time with the old balls, which in theory will give Murray a slightly better look at his returns. The Aussie though serves beautifully to hold to love, including two aces - one of which is so perfect it sends chalk flying into the air after landing plum on the line.
Thompson* 3-3 Murray (*next server)
Murray starting to hit the ball cleaner now, and he guides a backhand winner beautifully up the line for a winner followed by an ace down the T that screams into the back-boards. Andy ends up with a comfortable hold to 15 when Thompson nets a forehand.
Thompson 3-2 Murray* (*next server)
The easiest game of the match for either player, as an ace and a few Murray mistakes ease Thompson to a hold to 15. Very solid start from the Aussie.
Thompson* 2-2 Murray (*next server)
Really strong start from Thompson, who's showing no signs of nerves here and plenty of aggression as he eventually wins a 37-shot rally with a bludgeoned forehand up the line for 15-30. Murray though digs in and forces a couple of errors to move up 40-30. A double fault then has us at deuce, but two unreturned first serves wrap up the hold.
Thompson 2-1 Murray* (*next server)
Thompson looks on his way to a simple hold when a gorgeous Murray-esque forehand lob takes him to 40-15, but a couple of errors let Andy back in to the game at deuce. Thompson though does complete the hold with some big serving and a huge forehand that leaves Murray sprawling in his attempt to retrieve it.
Meanwhile, I can't get this scene out of my head.
Thompson* 1-1 Murray (*next server) - Murray saves three break points and holds
So, a first look at the Murray serve on a grass-court this year. The last point he served on the surface won him his second Wimbledon title last year. But he's in a spot of bother here as Thompson moves to 15-30 with a well-placed forehand passing shot winner. It's then 15-40 and two break points for the Aussie as Murray sends a forehand long. Andy saves them both though as a big serve draws a long return on the first one, before Thompson nets a backhand on the second. Murray then has two game points himself but misses them both (with a double fault and then a dreadful backhand), and it's a third break point when the Scot sprays a forehand long. A string second serve saves it and Murray eventually holds on when Thompson wildly sends a forehand return wide.
Three break points saved by Murray in a pretty ropey first service game that lasted almost eight minutes.
Thompson 1-0 Murray* (*next server)
Big first serves on the first couple of points take Thompson to 30-0, before a wonderful Murray a lob and a missed backhand from the Aussie has us at 30-30. Thompson eventually completes the hold to 30 when Andy sends a backhand return wide.
Ready? Play
We're under way. Thompson to serve...
Players are out
Murray is in a new red and blue top with white shorts. After the coin toss and knock-up, we'll be under way...
Preamble
Welcome all to the first installment of the 2017 Andy Murray grass-court odyssey, which he will be hoping will finish with another couple of titles come what the end of Wimbledon.
Murray's grass-court pedigree over the last couple of years is unrivalled, taking in three tournament wins (one Wimbledon and two Queen's) and just one defeat in 23 matches.
Last year Murray did the Queen's-Wimbledon double for the second time in his career, and he'll be feeling a whole lot better about his game following a promising French Open run to the semi-finals that ended a pretty dismal clay-court campaign.
A big reason for why Murray has become so formidable on grass is his movement, which allows him to reach low skidding balls that pretty much no-one else on the Tour can.
He is also a very accomplished volleyer with reflexes that often defy belief. For all those reasons (and plenty more besides) it would be a huge upset if the five-time Queen's champion and world No 1 Murray were to lose to Jordan Thompson today.
Thompson, a 23-year-old from Australia, lost in qualifying to Jeremy Chardy but comes in today as a lucky-loser replacement for Britain's Aljaz Bedene, who unfortunately had to withdraw from the competition with a wrist injury.
Thompson is ranked No 90 in the world and has never played Murray before, but he has been as high as No 63 and posted wins over the likes of David Ferrer and Jack Sock. He's also a decent doubles player and won the Brisbane International title this year with Thanasi Kokkinakis, which will stand him in good stead for the swift courts at Queen's.
He should give Murray a match, but I expect the world No 1 to come through in straight sets.
Murray next up
In a big upset, Lopez has just beaten the No 2 seed Wawrinka 7-6, 7-5.
Murray and Thompson will be on the court shortly.
When is Murray on?
He and Thompson could be on pretty soon. They follow the Lopez vs Wawrinka match, which is early in the second set after the Spaniard took the first 7-6.
We'll keep you posted.
Preview
First things first, you may have noticed from our headline that Andy Murray's opponent is not Britain's Aljaz Bedene as originally advertised. Bedene has unfortunately had to pull out with a wrist injury, so he is replaced with the Australian 'lucky loser' (i.e he was beaten in qualifying) Jordan Thompson. Below is the full story...
Andy Murray's compatriot and first-round opponent at the Aegon Championships Aljaz Bedene has withdrawn due to a wrist injury.
Bedene, who is the British number four, was scheduled to face Murray at Queen's on Tuesday afternoon but has been replaced by lucky loser Jordan Thompson.
Thompson lost to Frenchman Jeremy Chardy in the second round of qualifying on Sunday. The Australian is ranked 90th in the world and has never faced Murray before.
Bedene now faces a race against time to be fit for Wimbledon, which starts in less than two weeks on July 3.
"I'm still confident I will be able to play. Maybe I won't be 100 per cent," Bedene said.
"I had problems in the French Open. It didn't get any better so yesterday (Monday) I had an MRI scan, which shows an injury on the right wrist."
This is what Murray had to say yesterday on the eve of getting his Queen's campaign under way.
"Obviously I am playing better now than I was before the French," Murray said.
"In practice, I am hitting the ball a lot better than I was before the start of the tournament there but there are still a lot of things I felt could be better in Paris.
"I was a lot closer to where I wanted to be but still far from where I wanted to be playing, so that is why I got back onto the practice courts so soon, to work on some things.
"This surface is a little bit more natural for me, which helps, but I have had to practice a lot this week."
