Andy Murray hopes to keep away from one other marathon match when he begins his newest Australian Open marketing campaign towards Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry.
5-time finalist Murray, 36, performs thirtieth seed Etcheverry at about 16:30 native time in Melbourne (05:30 GMT).
The pair performed for over three hours of their two conferences final yr, each of which have been performed throughout three units.
“I made most of my matches fairly bodily final yr. I do not know if it was essentially him,” Murray joked.
Britain’s Murray tended to do issues the arduous means in 2023, notably within the early a part of the season when his first seven wins of the yr went to deciding units.
The primary of these victories got here on the Australian Open, the place Murray beat Italy’s Matteo Berrettini in virtually 5 hours earlier than recovering to clinch victory over Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis in a match lasting virtually six hours and ending at 04:05 native time.
The seventh win of the run got here towards 24-year-old Etcheverry, with Murray coming by 6-7 (5-7) 6-1 6-4 victory at Indian Wells after three hours and 12 minutes.
The pair met once more at Basel in October, the place Murray misplaced 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-2 after one other three-hour tussle.
“He has a sport that may make the matches that means,” world quantity 44 Murray mentioned.
“Once more, I do know that final yr once I wasn’t serving nicely, you find yourself moving into tons extra lengthy rallies.
“Due to the way in which I return, I put numerous returns again in play, you possibly can find yourself moving into numerous lengthy factors when that is the case and matches will go on.
“Hopefully that is not the case on Monday.”