Indian Wells: Andy Murray outlasts Taro Daniel for 700th career win
- Murray, who received a wild card into the desert tournament, twice came from behind in the nearly two-hour match
- Emma Raducanu followed Murray on the stadium court 1 and beat Caroline Garcia 6-1, 3-6, 6-1
Andy Murray outlasted qualifier Taro Daniel 1-6, 6-2, 6-4 on Friday in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open for his 700th career victory.
“It does mean a lot to me because I know how difficult it’s been, certainly the last few years,” Murray said, referring to numerous injuries and a bout with Covid-19. “When you look at the players that have done it, most of the players that are up there and have won that many matches are certainly the best players of the last sort of 30, 40 years.”
Murray, who received a wild card into the desert tournament, twice came from behind in the nearly two-hour match. He overcame a 1-3 deficit in the third set, winning five of the final six games.
“There were points in the match where I did play pretty well,” Murray said. “But there’s also times in the match where it was poor. I really need to try and find that consistency.”
Murray broke Daniel to tie the set 3-all. The 34-year-old Scottish star led 40-love in the last game before closing it out on his third match point.
It was their third meeting this year. Ranked 106th, Daniel won at the Australian Open. Murray, who is 88th in the world, won in Doha last month.