Emma Raducanu has revealed Andy Murray was her inspiration to win her first ever match at the Australian Open after joining her fellow Grand Slam champion in the second round.
The Scot won his first match in Melbourne since 2017 in a five-set thriller against Nikoloz Basilashvili.
And then the Bromley teenager triumphed in her first Major match since her US Open triumph by beating Sloane Stephens in three sets.
And Raducanu, who did not go out into the Margaret Court Arena until 10pm in the last match of Day Two, revealed she had been inspired to victory by Murray’s battling performance.
Raducanu said: “I was inspired because when I was in the third set, I actually thought: ‘Andy was up a set. And then he got pushed to five. But he fought back so hard in the fifth set and took the decider.’
“So when I went to three, I was also thinking ‘Actually, I can fight back and win the decider.’ You know, fight like he did. So I was definitely inspired by him.”
Five-time finalist Murray thought his first-round defeat at the 2019 Australian Open could be his final match but he returned to the same court with a new metal hip yesterday to write another chapter in his remarkable career.
“I definitely watched that match,” Raducanu recalled.
“I’ve watched so many of Andy’s and all his finals here in Australia, but his match against Agut was some of the best fighting I’ve ever seen. Yeah, it’s great to have a role model like him in British tennis.”
The US Open champion racked up more firsts with debut win Down Under – her first Grand Slam win in three sets and her first win over a fellow Major champion.
“Of course it would be an amazing opportunity, but I have been in this position where people have asked me at two different tournaments (in Transylvania and Linz) and it didn’t happen,” she warned.
“So I just really want to focus on business tomorrow and getting myself in as best shape as possible.”
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