Unheralded German Mischa Zverev beats world number one Andy Murray to reach Australian Open quarter-finals
World number 50 prevails 7-5, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 on Sunday at Melbourne Park to leave first grand slam without its top two seeds at the last eight stage for the first time since 2002
German world number 50 Mischa Zverev produced the performance of his career to eliminate world number one Andy Murray at the Australian Open after prevailing 7-5, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 on Sunday at Rod Laver Arena.
Murray’s defeat follows that of reigning champion Novak Djokovic, who fell to Denis Istomin in the second round on Thursday, leaving the men’s draw at the year’s first grand slam without its top two seeds at the quarter-final stage for the first time since 2002.
The top seed, who has lost five Australian Open finals, dropped his serve eight times in losing the three hour 34 minute contest.
“He deserved to win because he played great when he was down and also in the important moments,” said Murray. “[He] kept coming up with great shots, there’s not too much you can do about that. Sometimes you got to say, ‘well played’. It was obviously disappointing to lose. But he did some good stuff out there.”
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Zverev, a German lefthander and the older brother of Alexander Zverev who lost to Rafael Nadal in the third round on Saturday, advances to a quarter-final and will face the winner of the later match between Roger Federer and Kei Nishikori.