US Open 2022 LIVE: Andy Murray beats Francisco Cerundolo in straight sets to reach second round

The Brit plays his first-round match 10 years on from winning his maiden grand slam title at Flushing Meadows

Andy Murray in action during the first round of the US Open (Getty Images)

Andy Murray made a positive start to his US Open campaign with a straight-sets victory over 24th seed Francisco Cerundolo in New York.

The 35-year-old went into the tournament having only won one match on the North American hard courts this season and with concerns over persistent cramping but this proved to be a relatively straightforward outing in humid conditions.

Argentinian Cerundolo has won the majority of his ranking points on clay and Murray had to grind his way through plenty of long rallies on his way to a 7-5 6-3 6-3 victory, with the only real negative a failure to serve out all three sets.

Andy Murray vs Francisco Cerundolo

• Andy Murray begins his US Open campaign against 24th seed Francisco Cerundolo
• Murray clinches draining first set 7-5
• Murray takes second set 6-3 to close in on victory
• Murray closes out straight sets win 7-5, 6-3, 6-3

[29 August 2022 16:35 · Luke Baker]

*Andy Murray 3-1 Francisco Cerundolo - MURRAY BREAKS

A strong return at 15-15 puts Murray in position at 15-30 and he then brings up two BREAK POINTS! He’s on the back foot as Cerundolo moves him around the court but great defence by the Brit, rolling back the years, keeps him in it, he reads a drop shot and finishes the point with an overhead.

MURRAY BREAKS CERUNDOLO AGAIN! A great recovery after that opening game.

*denotes next to serve

[29 August 2022 16:29 · Luke Baker]

Andy Murray 2-1 Francisco Cerundolo*

The match passes the 15-minute mark early in the third game. This feels like it will be a battle out there. As if to prove that, a long rally at 15-15 ends with Murray putting away a tough, delicate overhead ‘smash’ just inside the line. Great touch!

Ooof! Cerundolo steps in and crunches a clean forehand winner cross court from the second serve for 30-30 but two groundstrokes into the net see Murray hold. The first hold of the match from either man.

*denotes next to serve

[29 August 2022 16:24 · Luke Baker]

*Andy Murray 1-1 Francisco Cerundolo - MURRAY BREAKS BACK

Cerundolo isn’t the biggest server on tour but he gets one to rear up at Murray to move to 30-15 before a wide serve and powerful groundstroke brings up game point.

An ill-advised drop shot hits the net to bring Murray closer and the Brit then dominates a baseline rally for deuce. Good work from the Brit.

Gorgeous! A lovely backhand pass gives him BREAK POINT and off the Cerundolo second serve, he forces an error as his opponent nets. MURRAY BREAKS BACK!

*denotes next to serve

[29 August 2022 16:15 · Luke Baker]

Andy Murray 0-1 Francisco Cerundolo* - CERUNDOLO BREAKS MURRAY!

Good baseline rally on the first point of the match that ends with Murray slicing a backhand long. Positive response from the Brit as he wins the next lengthy rally for 15-15 before two unreturned serves bring up game point.

Nice tennis from Cerundolo and a neat forehand volley saves him one of those points before Murray nets a backhand to bring up deuce.

Strong return from Cerundolo and that’s BREAK POINT. Murray comes into the net but volleys long and CERUNDOLO BREAKS SERVE in the opening game. Not ideal for Murray from 40-15.

*denotes next to serve

[29 August 2022 16:10 · Luke Baker]

Andy Murray 0-0 Francisco Cerundolo

Time called. We’re about to get underway on Louis Armstrong. Murray will serve first

*denotes next to serve

[29 August 2022 16:08 · Luke Baker]

Andy Murray vs Francisco Cerundolo

So who is Francisco Cerundolo?

He’s a talented, 24-year-old Argentine who is making his first appearance at a US Open. He reached the semi-finals in Miami recently and is up to the top 30 in the world now.

He’s lost every match in which he’s faced a Brit this season though. Let’s hope that record holds!

[29 August 2022 16:07 · Luke Baker]

Andy Murray vs Francisco Cerundolo

The players are warming up now. It’s about 28 degrees in New York with 68 per cent humidity - worryingly these are the sort of conditions Murray has been cramping in this summer.

He’s tried to solve these issues but can’t get to the bottom of them. Hopefully they won’t rear their head today.

[29 August 2022 16:02 · Luke Baker]

Andy Murray vs Francisco Cerundolo

Andy Murray will be walking on to court shortly. Argentine 24th seed Francisco Cerundolo - a talented young player - is his opponent. Not an easy start at all for the Brit and he was suffering with cramp at his last tournament in Cincinatti.

Can Murray pull out the win?

[29 August 2022 15:57 · Luke Baker]

Serena and Venus Williams to team up for doubles at US Open

Serena Williams will play doubles with sister Venus at the US Open after the pair were awarded a wild card.

The US Open is set to be the final tournament of Serena’s career, and she is giving herself two shots at success.

The Williams sisters have a remarkable record of winning all 14 of the grand slam doubles finals they have contested but the last one was back in 2016 at Wimbledon, and they have not played a slam together since the French Open four years ago.

[29 August 2022 15:53 · Luke Baker]

Emma Raducanu taking ‘positive signs’ into US Open return after testing year since unexpected victory

Emma Raducanu admits she had no idea how winning the US Open would affect her tennis, but hopes she has found the right formula again.

The 19-year-old stunned the sporting world 12 months ago as her aggressive approach propelled her to the title without dropping a set.

Raducanu vowed afterwards to keep the same free-swinging attitude, but now accepts that was much easier said than done with expectations sky high and attention on her every move.

She told the PA news agency: “I think looking back I can say there’s been many months in the year since that I haven’t actually been swinging freely.

“It’s very easy at the time but, when you have absolutely no idea what’s about to hit you, to say something like that, I was still on that energy from those two weeks. Obviously a lot of stuff has happened since.”