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Andy Murray receives a standing ovation from the spectators, with his mother Judy looking on, after he walks out of the Australian Open following a staggering 14 hours of action in just six days.
Andy Murray was left with mixed emotions after his incredible Australian Open campaign came to a close with his loss to Roberto Bautista Agut.
The Brit sat out of the competition in Melbourne following a 6-1, 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 loss just 39 hours after walking off the pitch at 4am following his second-round victory. round.
Following his defeat, the 35-year-old seemed emotional as the audience who had seen his valiant effort gave him a standing ovation.
Andy Murray received a standing ovation after his four-set loss to Roberto Bautista Agut
Murray, battling pain and fatigue, was unable to put more energy into his third round elimination.
His mother, Judy Murray, was on hand and joined her son in a standing ovation at the end.
In the crowd was his mother, Judy Murray, who had been cheering and screaming throughout the game in support of her son.
After the game, she looked proud after her son’s efforts in which he played a staggering 14 hours in six days.
Murray shook his opponent’s hand before reluctantly walking off the court knowing his tournament was over.
Murray’s previous game against Thanasi Kokkinakis, which ended just after 4 a.m. after nearly five hours of play, left him with little sleep, a sore back and blisters that needed draining from his feet.
After the game, Murray said his feet “didn’t feel very good” and he was struggling with his lower back, which affected his serve throughout Saturday’s match.
He still put in a tough performance against Bautista Agut, saying after the match: ‘My feet didn’t feel very good. My legs were actually fine, but I was struggling with my lower back.
“That was affecting my serve and that was really the main thing today.”
Murray, with the crowd firmly behind him, broke Bautista Agut in the first game of the fourth set to raise hopes of going to another fifth set.
However, she ended up blowing a 2-0 lead before losing serve in the ninth game.
His exit was sealed when a forehand cross went long as he retired after some heroic displays in Melbourne.
But he was encouraged by his week at Melbourne Park, albeit disappointed not to make it to the second week.
“A lot of mixed emotions, I feel like I gave everything I had in this event, so I’m proud of that,” he said.
‘But, yeah, I’m also disappointed because I put in a lot of work at the beginning of this year and I was playing well enough to have a really good run, have a deep run.
Murray said that he felt he could have gone further in the competition.
“I’m disappointed because I feel like it could have gone a bit further.”
Bautista Agut knocked out Murray in the first round of the tournament four years ago, after the Scotsman tearfully said he was shot in the hip and his career could be over.
It’s been a long, hard road back for the three-time Grand Slam champion since he was fitted with a metal hip.
Tin Henman commented on Eurosport: ‘He gives it his all. I think he’ll get a lot out of this…he’ll be very proud of his performance, and it gives him a lot to build on for the rest of the season.”