‘It’s amazing to be back’: Australian Open better for Murray’s second coming

With his translucent complexion, lugubrious manner and in an all-blue ensemble that melds into the court colour scheme at Melbourne Park, Andy Murray makes a good ghost.

Three years ago, on this very court, Murray’s career was interred after a five-set first-round defeat by Roberto Bautista Agut. The crowd saluted, his mother Judy cried, former player Mark Petchey paid syrupy tribute, Bautista Agut added his encomium and then a cavalcade of greats including Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal appeared on screen to eulogise him.

Murray was bemused, but gracious. “If this was my last match,” Murray said, “it’s an amazing way to end.” Pre-tournament, he had tearfully flagged potentially career-ending hip surgery. But he had not announced a farewell, and was not even sure this was goodbye.

Andy Murray roars after defeating Nikoloz Basilashvili. Credit:Getty Images

On Tuesday, Murray manifested himself again in the very spot where he disappeared, now renamed for former Victorian premier John Cain. There had been other reported sightings elsewhere in the world, but between surgery, reevaluation, rehabilitation and COVID, he had won only three matches in major championships in three years and was entered in this Australian Open as a 113th-ranked wildcard.

It became an exorcism, Murray prevailing over Georgian buccaneer Nikoloz Basilashvili in five draining sets. “Amazing,” Murray said, scratching his head in his trademark way. “It’s been a tough three or four years. It’s taken a lot of work to get back here. It’s amazing to be back winning a five-set battle like that.”

“Here” was both a mindset and a place, this tournament, this very arena.

For a ghost, he must seem all too substantial to Basilashvili, a gifted top 25 player all out of form and favour. Verily, Murray haunts him. Murray the wildcard beat him in the first round at Wimbledon last year. Murray the wildcard beat him in the first round in Sydney last week. It took three hours to play three sets and Murray said it had been “brutal”. So, he knew what to expect. Basilashvili knew that this wildcard was an ace in disguise.

Andy Murray and Nikoloz Basilashvili shake hands. Credit:Getty Images

Basilashvili is all hitting power and minimal guile. He doesn’t really have a game, just a range of ideas as they come to him. He has plenty. It is to be hoped that he passed a police check before acquiring his forehand.

Initially, Basilashvili could not handle his own recoil. He won just eight points in the first set, meanwhile spilling 18 unforced errors Murray’s way. One serve flew the stands behind Murray. It was a wonder some of his forehands didn’t collapse the net. Befitting a ghost, Murray’s role was to be there.

But Basilashvili then found his range, and the balance of the match was an epic contest between his ballistic strength and Murray’s classic counter-punching game, playing the ball with awkward trajectories into inescapable corners. It’s a remodelled game, refined to allow for a re-bored hip, but it’s Murray’s game, nonetheless. There was nothing ethereal about the engagement then.

Exorcising ghosts: Andy Murray is back in the winner’s circle. Credit:AP

John Cain is incongruously named. He was a genteel man, it is a notoriously boisterous court. The early sallies were accompanied by boos, presumably though not definitively concerning unresolved allegations against him in Georgia. But they faded, or rather were absorbed into the intensity of the battle. It would have absorbed gravity.

Nearly four hours after it began, it came down again to Basilashvili’s waywardness, which of course was a function of Murray’s patent ability to stay in points and games. Whatever else he has lost, court speed and savvy are not among them.

Victory secured at last, Murray doubled over in mid-court and allowed himself a primal and most un-wraith-like scream. Murray reincarnate is as lean as ever, a little thinner at the temples and as for his hair, let’s just say that an appropriately royal crown is emerging. But it’s still him, and the tournament is better for his second coming.

The Australian Open haunts Murray as much as it endears himself to him. He’s been to the final five times without winning it once. But neither of his conquerors in those finals, Federer or Novak Djokovic, are here. At 34, it’s far-fetched to contemplate redemption on that scale, and the rankings say that there are 100 other capable players in his way, but what are ghosts for if not to be exorcised?

“Hopefully I can keep improving,” Murray said. “I can definitely do better. I’d love to have a deep run here if possible. It’s something I’ve not had in a slam since the injury. I’ve played some of my best tennis here, I feel comfortable here, so let’s see what happens.”

Suffice to say that there’ll be no re-screening of the Murray tribute tape just yet.

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