Murray wins US Open first round despite VAR problems
Andy Murray finally won in the first round of the US Open, despite VAR problems, before advancing to the second round with a straight-sets victory over Frenchman Corentin Moutet, on Tuesday (8/29).
 |
| Andy Murray of Great Britain celebrates match point against Corentin Moutet (Photo: Getty Images) |
The 36-year-old, who was the 2012 US Open champion, was in fine form in his 6-2, 7-5, and 6-3 wins over Moutet on the Grandstand Court.
The VAR referee can't conclude the incident
The veteran Scotland will face 19th seed Grigor Dimitrov in the second round of the US Open.
The US Open first-round clash between Murray and Moutet will be remembered for a bizarre incident in the deciding set when Moutet requested a video assessment after referee Azemar Engzell awarded Murray a point for a double-bounce.
Also, read: 2023 US Open Grand Slam Tennis Tournament Begins.
Although video footage shown on stadium screens clearly showed the referee's decision to be correct, Engzell said the VAR referee could not conclude the incident and the use of VAR, which was used for the first time at the US Open, was canceled.
"I don't know how it works and who should make decisions because it's clear that the ball bounces twice," Murray said after the game.
"We watched the video for 10 minutes and the referee made the right decision. I don't know how that technology works."
"However, in the end, the technology did not work as planned at a crucial moment. So, hopefully, it can be repaired soon," he continued.
Murray has been plagued by injuries over the past few years but feels he is playing at his best level since 2017.
"I'm at my highest rank (37) since I had hip surgery. I'm satisfied with that even though it's not easy," Murray said.
"I hope to reach higher rankings but this is my best performance consistently since 2017."
"I'm happy to still be playing and hope to boost my world ranking."