On January 14, 2019, Roberto Bautista and Andy Murray met in the first round of the Australian Openin a very special clash in the career of the Briton, who three days before had announced, through tears, the end of his career. “It has been an incredible night. It could be my last game here and that’s why I’ve given it my all in a place where I love to play. Thank you to those who have contributed to my career. Who knows if we will see each other again, for that I would have to undergo a complicated operation with no guarantees”, said Sir Andy after being beaten in five sets by the Spaniard. Everyone understood it as a withdrawal when the organization of the oceanic Grand Slam issued a video on the giant screen, a video in which many tennis players, Nadal, Djokovic, Nadal, Wozniacki, Zverev, Cilic, Pliskova, Stephens, Federer… thanked him not only for his game but also for his personality, for his support of women and for the qualities that made him one of the most beloved players on the circuit.
But it was a point and apart. In late January, Murray underwent surgery for a second hip reconstruction. “Now it’s metal”, he wrote next to a photograph in which the prosthesis was seen. Seven months later she competed again, in Cincinnati. Now, at 35 years old and in 66th place in the ranking, to which he has risen with work, suffering and acceptance of defeats, the winner of three Grand Slams and 14 Masters 1,000 is reunited with Bautista this Saturday (09:00, Eurosport) on the same stage where he threatened a farewell that was not such. On that occasion they met at the Melbourne Arena (now John Cain), this time they will meet at the Margaret Court. “Am happy to have another chance to face Andy. I don’t understand why he did that, but sometimes it happens… I don’t know what he wanted, but I’m happy for him, because he’s in good shape, winning games and enjoying himself on the court again.”says the man from Castellón about an opponent who has won two matches resolved in five sets, the second with a comeback from 0-2 against the Australian Kokkinakis, in an epic duel that lasted 5h45 and ended at 4:06 in the morning.
“It was like the Davis Cup atmosphere. Very noisy, very crowded. Lots of people supporting him. I think the whole track was with him. He did a great job. I ended up winning that game and it gave me a lot of confidence to play the quarterfinals here”, recalls Roberto (34 years old) of that confrontation, the third from last between them, in a face-to-face that is even (3-3) with three initial victories for the Scottish and three following for the Spanish.
Passion and love
“Passion and love for tennis lead him to do everything he does and achieve everything he has achieved. He loves tennis and does whatever it takes to stay here on the circuit.; enjoy competing and playing; There are people who share it and others who don’t, but he has dedication to his sport and an exemplary ability to excel that is worthy of admiration. Not everyone would be able to do what he has done ”, admits Bautista, who will try to maintain his streak against the titanium man.
