Andy Murray loses five-set thriller to Roberto Bautista Agut in final Australian Open appearance

Andy Murray’s final Australian Open appearance ended in a battling, thrilling five set defeat to Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut

The Scot, who revealed he plans to retire after Wimbledon in July due to hip problems and also admitted that he might not last that long, fought gallantly for four hours in Melbourne, but the fifth and final set proved a step too far as he lost 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 6-2.

Bautista Agut won the first two sets 6-4, before Murray fought back in the third and forced his first break of the match. Murray could not convert a set-point at 5-4 and the set went to a tiebreak, which Murray dug deep to win.

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Despite a vocal crowd backing the Scot, Murray could not force a break in the fourth set and was forced to serve to stay in the tournament at 5-4, which he managed to do comfortably.

He then produced a superb display in the tiebreak to take the fourth set, level the match at 2-2 and force an unlikely fifth set.

But his lack of fitness begin to catch up with him as he neared four hours on court and Bautista Agut struck first in the decider, breaking Murray’s serve, holding his own and then breaking Murray again to go 4-1 up.

He eventually saw out the set 6-2, as Murray was given a standing ovation by the Melbourne crowd, who treated the three-time grand slam champion as one of their own for the night.