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Andy Murray ends Chinese swing with fiery defeat to Fabio Fognini in Shanghai as Dan Evans becomes British No. 1


Murray saw his Chinese tour brought to an end (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)

Andy Murray’s comeback tour of China was brought to a halt by Fabio Fognini on Tuesday in a fiery encounter and a defeat for Cameron Norrie saw Dan Evans become British No. 1 for the first time.

It was the first time Murray had lost in the second round of the Shanghai Masters – a tournament he has won on three occasions – and he served for the match twice in the third set, but there were again plenty of positives to take from another titanic tussle so soon into his return from hip surgery.

Tensions boiled over at the end of the match, with Murray and Fognini involved in a verbal spat on court just before the match’s conclusion, with Murray telling the Italian to ‘shut up’ at a changeover.

Murray pushed Fognini hard before going down 7-6 (7-4) 2-6 7-6 (7-2). To be able to stay with with the 12th best man on the planet for more than three hours given this was just his ninth tour-level encounter since undergoing a hip resurfacing operation in January remains mighty impressive.

Fabio Fognini roared into the third round (Picture: Getty)

Indeed, belief must surely be growing in Murray’s camp that a return to full throttle is just around the corner, with the Australian Open at the start of next year still his target for hitting peak fitness.

Fognini, the notoriously hot-headed but gloriously talented Italian 10th seed, did perhaps benefit from a few too many desperate dashes to the net from the three-time Grand Slam champion in a 69-minute first set – a tactic Murray is employing in a bid to shorten points.

But he is often guilty of going for a mental walkabout mid-match and Murray – whose fighting spirit during the Asian swing has been first class – capitalised in the second set to level the contest.

He ultimately refocused to down the sixth-highest ranked Briton, with tempers fraying before the last game of the third set, but the positives of Murray’s three-tournament stay in China far outweigh the negatives and he should head to Antwerp next in confident mood.

Murray’s compatriot Norrie was well beaten 6-3 6-1 by US Open runner-up Daniil Medvedev earlier on Tuesday and the pair’s losses confirmed Evans’ rise to the top of the British rankings.

Evans lost in qualifying at the Masters 1000 event but rose above previous incumbant Kyle Edmund after his first-round defeat, with the Yorkshireman failing to defend quarter-finals points.

British No. 3 Norrie was still in contention to climb above the pair before his defeat to world No. 4 Medvedev, while Murray could have made a shock return to the top of the British rankings had he won the title.

Dan Evans became British No. 1 (Picture: Getty Images)

Evans has applied himself well since returning from a year-long cocaine ban and has been by far Britain’s best male player in 2019.

Medvedev and Fognini were joined in the third round by Federer, who defeated Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas.

Their last encounter was at the same site back in 2015, with Ramos-Vinolas – a clay-court specialist – pulling off a surprise three-set victroy.

There was no such shock on this occasion, though Federer was forced to fight back from 4-1 down in the second set tiebreak, and the 20-time Grand Slam champion advanced to round three with a 6-2 7-6 (7-5) win.

Roger Federer advanced to the third round in Shanghai (Picture: Getty)

He will face either David Goffin or Mikhail Kukushkin next, while Fognini will meet either Taylor Fritz or Karen Khacahnov.

Murray netted a short forehand to fall 2-1 behind but a backhand into the net from Fognini, sporting a black bandana, handed the break straight back.

A sublime backhand passing shot from Murray saw him move in front with his second break of the match, but an equally spectacular approach and volley from the Italian helped him break back and then level at 4-4.

As Murray saved two break points with smart serving at 5-5 to guarantee himself at least a tiebreak, one could sense the tension building across the net and Fognini couldn’t hide his exasperation after a couple of errors saw him fall 0-30 down as he audibly groaned in his native language.

But the little Italian magician conjured up another remarkable backhand passing shot to hold and set up a breaker.

Murray went too short with his approach and was picked off by Fognini’s increasingly dangerous backhand to fall a mini-break behind.

Andy Murray fought hard (Picture: Getty Images)

While he claimed it back courtesy of a netted backhand from his opponent, Murray double faulted to allow Fognini the opportunity to serve out the set, which he duly took.

Fognini required 16 minutes to complete his first service game of the second set, saving two break points, before nonchalantly holding with a slapped forehand winner.

At the hour-and-three-quarter mark, Murray did break. Fognini netted a forehand before launching a ball into the stands and tossing his racquet at the chair, earning a warning from umpire Fergus Murphy for his troubles.

It prompted a loss of interest from the Italian who dumped a half-hearted drop-shot into the net before Murray levelled the tie just before the two-hour mark.

Murray, who had been far calmer than in his previous outing against Juan Ignacio Londero, began to show signs of frustration in the third game of the decider, roaring with frustration as he sensed an opportunity to break slipping away with several errors flying off his racquet.

His attention next turned to umpire Fergus Murphy, who was unmoved by complaints about light rain. Murray responded with his best point of the match, charging to the net at full pelt to reach a drop-shot before flicking the ball delicately past the stranded Fognini in the tightest of angles.

Fognini, too, had his own gripes with Murphy at the next change of ends. But while repeatedly telling the umpire his job was ‘easy’, he refused to point out exactly what he was complaining about.

Fognini was forced into a real battle after taking the lead (Picture: Getty Images)

Murray then broke again, stretching for a drop-shot and returning the favour, with Fognini unhappy at Murphy calling a double bounce but failed to serve it out.

Tensions continued to boil over, with the players involved in a verbal exchange in the 11th game of the fifth set after Fognini called out just as Murray was about to hit a volley home.

As Murray broke again, the row spilled into the changeover, with him telling Fognini to ‘shut up’.

‘You say the same to everyone. Mate, you say the same to everyone no matter who you’re playing,’ Murray said to Fognini before addressing Murphy: ‘He shouts and then tells me don’t look at me. He just shouted in the middle of the point.’

Again, Murray failed to serve out the match and was made to pay as Fognini stormed on to win the tiebreak.

Murray again made his case to Murphy at the end of the three hours and nine minutes encounter, as he charged off court in a huff.





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