Andy Murray Crashes out of Australian Open

Andy Murray Crashes out of Australian Open

The fireworks continue in the ongoing Australian Open with world No 1, Andy Murray suffering a massive upset to 50th-ranked Mischa Zverev on Sunday.

Murray, outright favourite for the title following the shock exit of Novak Djokovic, went down 7-5, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 to the 29-year-old German who has never won an ATP title.

It was the Scotsman’s earliest defeat in Melbourne and blows the draw even wider open with the top two seeds out before the quarterfinals for the first time in a Grand Slam since the 2004 French Open.

Zverev, advancing to the last eight of a Grand Slam for the first time in his career, thrilled the packed Rod Laver Arena to a sumptuous display of elastic volleys and attacking play.

The defeat extends Murray’s curse at the Australian Open, where he has been runner-up five times – losing four finals to Djokovic and once to Roger Federer – without lifting the trophy.

 “I was like in a little coma, just serving and volleying my way through it. There were a few points where I didn’t know how I pulled it off but somehow I made it,” an ecstatic Zverev said courtside.

The German late bloomer now gets the chance to go up against his idol, Federer, who ousted Japanese fifth seed Kei Nishikori 6-7 6-4 6-1 4-6 6-3 as his comeback continues.

Stanislas Wawrinka who won the first of his three Grand Slam titles in Melbourne in 2014, advanced 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/4) against Italy’s Andreas Seppi and will now play France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga who ended the fairytale run of Britain’s Dan Evans with a 6-7(4) 6-2 6-4 6-4 win.

Wawrinka’s chances of grabbing a fourth grand slam title have greatly improved as he is now the highest seed in the top half of the draw.