Roberto Bautista Agut condemns Andy Murray to forgetful defeat
Former world number one and three-time major champion Andy Murray crashed to one of the heaviest defeats of his career on Wednesday, winning just a single game in a straight-sets loss to Roberto Bautista Agut at the Qatar Open.
Second seed Bautista Agut eased to a 6-0, 6-1 win in the second round of a tournament where Murray, now ranked 87 in the world, was champion in 2008 and 2009.
A *statement* win 😳
2nd seed @BautistaAgut puts in a brilliant display to take out former champ Murray 6-0 6-1 in Doha pic.twitter.com/Uz27saMtEb
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 16, 2022
The outcome was a dramatic contrast to the last time the pair met at the 2019 Australian Open when Murray lost an emotional five-setter and feared his career was at an end.
Their first meeting since *that* Australian Open match…
Murray takes on familiar foe Bautista Agut for a quarter-final spot in Doha!
Live stream: https://t.co/hOHmv2wMlX pic.twitter.com/5aWNUqmypc
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 16, 2022
Bautista Agut, who won the Doha title in 2019 and reached the final last year, will next play either Murray’s compatriot Dan Evans or fellow Spaniard, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
Top seed Denis Shapovalov of Canada enjoyed a comfortable 6-4, 6-0 win over Slovakia’s Alex Molcan, ranked 73 in the world.
In the zone 👌@denis_shapo plays a flawless match to take out Molcan 6-4 6-0 in just 52 minutes pic.twitter.com/ECjL7Tz6Ow
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 16, 2022
In the last eight, Shapovalov will meet Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech who claimed a 6-7 (5/7), 6-1, 6-4 win over seventh-seeded Kazakh Alexander Bublik, the champion in Montpellier earlier this month.
✅ Adelaide 1
✅ Adelaide 2
✅ Doha@karenkhachanov makes his 3rd quarter-final of 2022, defeating Ruusuvuori 7-6 6-3 pic.twitter.com/ADv0PQRkJO— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 16, 2022