Andy Murray vs Matteo Berrettini LIVE: US Open tennis score and result today

Andy Murray last reached the fourth round of a grand slam singles event at Wimbledon in 2017, but now the Brit has a chance to put that lengthy, unwanted run to bed when he faces 13th seed Matteo Berrettini at the US Open.

The three-time grand slam champion lost in three sets to the Italian when the pair met in Stuttgart three months ago. But Murray has shown some impressive form so far this week, with wins over Francisco Cerundolo and Emilio Nava. Berrettini was struggling for form in recent weeks, losing in the opening rounds of Montreal and Cincinnati. However, he is starting to find his feet once more and is the favourite heading into the clash with Murray today.

It remains to be seen whether the Scot still has the quality to overcome a player of the quality of Berrettini. But with a fourth round tie against either qualifier Daniel Galan or the unseeded Alejandro Davidovich Fokina on the horizon, this is a huge chance for Murray to go deep in a slam for the first time in years.

Follow the score and latest updates from the US Open match below.

Andy Murray vs Matteo Berrettini

• Match on Arthur Ashe Stadium started at 5pm BST (12pm in New York)

• Murray aiming to reach fourth round of major for first time since 2017

• Berrettini wraps up tightly contested first set 6-4

• Murray’s serve falters as Berrettini clinches second set, 6-4

• Murray saves break points before clinching third-set tie-break, 7-6 (1)

Andy Murray 4-6, 4-6, 7-6 (1), 3-6 Matteo Berrettini

21:02 , Lawrence Ostlere

Murray wins the first point of the game but loses the next two, with Berrettini targeting the Murray forehand on second serve and reaping rewards. At 30-15, Murray rushes forwards and misses a backhand to give the Italian two match points, and he only needs one with a big wide serve. Game, set, match.

Andy Murray 4-6, 4-6, 7-6 (1), 3-5 *Matteo Berrettini

21:00 , Lawrence Ostlere

Murray gifts Berrettini the first point of the game with a hugely ambitious drop shot from the back of the court. He pulls out a big first serve to draw level at 15-all before dumping a routine volley into the net, and that’s 15-30. Then a crucial point: Murray pins Berrettini into the backhand corner but then releases the pressure with a weak forehand push which the 13-seed gobbles up. Two break points, and Berrettini only needs one as Murray makes an unforced error. What a strange game from Murray, with so many uncharacteristically poor choices, and Berrettini will serve for the match.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray* 4-6, 4-6, 7-6 (1), 3-4 Matteo Berrettini

20:53 , Lawrence Ostlere

Berrettini moves to 30-0 before bending a forehand wide, then dumping a forehand into the net, to make it 30-30. A chance for Murray, perhaps, but Berrettini serves up a monster ace down the T, right on the line, and celebrates heartily. Berrettini goes long on the very next point to bring up deuce, then Murray fights into the rally and brings about another error from his opponent to earn a break point. Berrettini digs in, saving the break point before leaning on his serve to get through the game and hold. A nervy game for the Italian but the pressure is back on Murray’s serve now.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray 4-6, 4-6, 7-6 (1), 3-3 *Matteo Berrettini

20:48 , Lawrence Ostlere

At 15-all Murray whips a forehand crosscourt with plenty of pace and Berrettini can’t get it back. A long forehand by Murray draws them level at 30-30, before he backs up a powerful serve with a tap-volley winner. Another excellent serve seals the game – Murray’s serve is much, much more effective right now than it was in the first three sets.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray* 4-6, 4-6, 7-6 (1), 2-3 Matteo Berrettini

20:41 , Lawrence Ostlere

At 15-15 and facing a second serve, Murray goes on the attack, firing to the backhand before rushing to the net, but Berrettini does well to fish out something that lands on Murray’s toes and the Scot can’t quite dig out a half-volley. Berrettini muscles his way to 40-15, and Murray fires a backhand wide to cede the game.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray 4-6, 4-6, 7-6 (1), 2-2 *Matteo Berrettini

20:38 , Lawrence Ostlere

Murray races into a 30-0 lead to ease a bit of pressure after losing successive games. A booming forehand winner gets him to 40-0, and Berrettini’s wayward shot secures Murray’s hold.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray* 4-6, 4-6, 7-6 (1), 1-2 Matteo Berrettini

20:33 , Lawrence Ostlere

Berrettini finally looks settled again. At 30-15 he whips a forehand into the corner which Murray can’t get back, and although he loses the next point, the Italian conjures another huge serve out wide combined with a delicate half-volley at the net to hold.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray 4-6, 4-6, 7-6 (1), 1-1 *Matteo Berrettini

20:28 , Lawrence Ostlere

Murray’s momentum is quickly snuffed out as he cedes a service game far too easily. He’s 0-40 down and blasts a forehand long. Oh dear. Berrettini breaks back.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray* 4-6, 4-6, 7-6 (1), 1-0 Matteo Berrettini

20:24 , Lawrence Ostlere

Murray carries on from where he left off, putting the Berrettini serve under all sorts of pressure. At 15-30, Murray rifles a forehand on the half-volley straight at the Italian at the net, who can’t react quickly enough to return it, and with the next point Murray breaks! Now then.

*denotes next server.

Murray forces fourth set after saving multiple break points

20:20 , Lawrence Ostlere

What a set that was. Murray was on the ropes service game after service game but somehow battled to save the break points, before producing a totally dominant tie-break. Berrettini on the other hand seemed totally assured on his own serve until the breaker, when it all fell apart. The 13th seed has gone for a bathroom break perhaps to gather himself as much as anything – he needs to find a way to relax and get back into his groove.

Third set! Andy Murray 4-6, 4-6, 7-6 (1) *Matteo Berrettini

20:14 , Lawrence Ostlere

Murray breaks, then fires a forehand into the corner which Berrettini can’t return! Wow, we go to a fourth.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray 4-6, 4-6, 6-6 (5-1) *Matteo Berrettini

20:12 , Lawrence Ostlere

Berrettini starts the tie-break with a brilliant forehand down the line to earn a mini-break, 1-0. He lashes a forehand wide though to cede one back, 1-1. Another wild forehand from Berrettini gets nowhere near the tennis court and Murray now leads by a mini-break, 2-1. Murray draws a backhand error, then volleys beautifully, to hold both his service points and lead 4-1 against a clearly tightening opponent. Murray gets into the next rally and Berrettini again misses with the forehand – Murray leads 5-1 at the change of ends.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray* 4-6, 4-6, 6-6 Matteo Berrettini

20:05 , Lawrence Ostlere

Murray battles to 40-30 and then jumps forward to attack a second serve, and gleans a mistake to go to deuce. As ever, Berrettini aces himself out of trouble, and Murray then flicks a forehand wide to let his opponent escape. The third set will be decided by tie-break.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray 4-6, 4-6, 6-5 *Matteo Berrettini

19:58 , Lawrence Ostlere

Berrettini produces a brilliant backhand pass that Murray can’t quite fetch and that’s 15-30. Murray gets into the next rally but is always on the back foot and eventually scoops a lob long to offer up two more break points. A big serve down the T saves the first, and then a huge stroke of fortune – the ball is flying wide but clips the tape and jumps back in court, and Berrettini misses a simple forehand long. He can’t believe it. That’s deuce, but Murray throws in another double fault to give Berrettini another break point. Murray pulls his opponent all over the court and eventually provokes a backhand into the net to save it, and the Scot roars. Deuce, and Murray puts together back-to-back points to clinch another epic hold.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray* 4-6, 4-6, 5-5 Matteo Berrettini

19:49 , Lawrence Ostlere

Berrettini is serving so, so well with over 80 per cent of first serves in in this third set. Murray has no reply and the Italian holds to love, seeing it out with yet another ace.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray 4-6, 4-6, 5-4 *Matteo Berrettini

19:46 , Lawrence Ostlere

Murray berates himself after hitting the net, shouting “it doesn’t have to be that good!”, as Berrettini leads 15-30. He then fires an ace and an inch-perfect forehand winner to lead 40-30, and an unreturnable serve clinches the hold. If Murray can somehow break now, he will clinch the third set and be right back in this third-round match.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray* 4-6, 4-6, 4-4 Matteo Berrettini

19:41 , Lawrence Ostlere

Brilliant from Murray to pull off a whipped forehand pass on the run and draw level at 15-all, then fizz a backhand from the back of the court straight at the Italian who fails to get his volley back over the net. A rare chance for Murray at 15-30, who then inexplicably fires a routine backhand into the net – he’s furious with himself. A wayward forehand then gives Berrettini another point and a 40-30 lead he hasn’t had to work too hard for, and Murray hits the net again to cede the game. Much better from Murray, but a few mistakes too and he has nothing to show for it.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray 4-6, 4-6, 4-3 *Matteo Berrettini

19:35 , Lawrence Ostlere

Berrettini wins a monstrous exchange of groundstrokes to go up 0-15 and urges the crowd to acknowledge the beauty of his crosscourt winner, which they do with a roar. Murray finds a good moment for only his fourth ace of the match to draw level, and they exchange points to reach 30-all. Berrettini dumps a return long, and then whips a forehand long too to give Murray the game and finally a relatively routine hold.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray* 4-6, 4-6, 3-3 Matteo Berrettini

19:30 , Lawrence Ostlere

No, is the comprehensive answer to that last question, as Berrettini blasts his way through another service game. It’s won to 15 and finishes with yet another ace.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray 4-6, 4-6, 3-2 *Matteo Berrettini

19:28 , Lawrence Ostlere

Murray chucks in a sluggish double fault to start the game and has to battle back from 0-30 to 30-all. There he sets himself up for a simple forehand winner but misses, and it’s break point. Berrettini slices a backhand into the net to miss yet another opportunity, before Murray works himself a winner at the net to earn advantage and wins the next rally to close out another service game from the brink. This is gutsy stuff from Murray, given he is virtually playing against the world No 14 without a first serve. Can he put a little pressure on the peerless Berrettini serve?

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray* 4-6, 4-6, 2-2 Matteo Berrettini

19:20 , Lawrence Ostlere

Berrettini flies through another service game. He has only dropped one point on serve in this third set.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray 4-6, 4-6, 2-1 *Matteo Berrettini

19:16 , Lawrence Ostlere

Play is soon back under way and Murray handles the sudden pause well, winning the next three points to complete his recovery from 15-40 down for the second successive service game.

*denotes next server.

Play halted: Andy Murray 4-6, 4-6, 1-1 (30-40) *Matteo Berrettini

19:12 , Lawrence Ostlere

At 0-15 down, Murray produces a really impressive rush and volley to kill off a long rally. He still looks bothered by serving into the sun, however, and Berrettini pounces on a second serve to go to 15-30. Murray’s wayward forehand gives Berrettini two break points and the Scot needs to escape once more. He finds a rare ace to save one break point and get back to 30-40, before play is halted for a medical emergency in the stands. The players sit back down as a unwell spectator is treated.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray* 4-6, 4-6, 1-1 Matteo Berrettini

19:05 , Lawrence Ostlere

A quick and relatively effortless hold by Berrettini, and the pressure is immediately back on Murray’s faltering serve.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray 4-6, 4-6, 1-0 *Matteo Berrettini

19:02 , Lawrence Ostlere

Murray is cutting a frustrated figure right now and doesn’t look like he believes he can win this match. It’s not easy when you pretty much don’t have a first serve, and he is having to fight to defend his second serve on almost every point. He falls behind to 0-30 before earning an error from his opponent, but then Murray swipes a forehand long and wide to offer up two break points. Murray fights in typically dogged fashion to stay in the rally and save the first of the two, then gets in a first serve – hallelujah – and follows it to the net to volley his way to deuce. Murray wins the next point and then crashes an ace to see out the game. Wow, what a comeback from 15-40.

*denotes next server.

Second set! Andy Murray* 4-6, 4-6 Matteo Berrettini

18:53 , Lawrence Ostlere

Berrettini gets to the net to win the first point and then draws Murray forwards, who hits the net with a relatively simple opportunity. It seems like his head might have gone here. Berrettini goes 40-0 up before Murray gets a point back via an error from his opponent, but the big first serve seals the set, and Murray’s US Open is hanging by a thread.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray 4-6, 4-5 *Matteo Berrettini

18:48 , Lawrence Ostlere

Murray’s first-serve percentage has been consistently below 50 per cent so far in this match, and it hampers him again here as Berrettini is allowed into the points on Murray’s second serve. The Italian wins the first two to get to 0-30, then drives a return long off yet another second serve which Murray can only swat into the net. Three break points for Berrettini: Murray dismisses the first of three with an ace, but then throws in another double fault to give up a break, just as he did in the first set. What a frustrating way to cede control, and Berrettini will serve for a two-set lead.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray* 4-6, 4-4 Matteo Berrettini

18:43 , Lawrence Ostlere

Berrettini is not happy as his first serve of the game is called a let by the net sensor – he thinks it was clean. He dumps the next first serve into the net but wins off his second serve with a forehand winner down the line to move up 15-0. An 11th ace of the match sees the Italian to 30-15, and another forehand winner takes him to 40-30. Murray produces one of his best points of the match to take them to deuce, cracking groundstrokes on the run to stay in the point before pinning Berrettini in the corner, but the Italian serves his way to advantage before rushing forwards to clinch the game at the net.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray 4-6, 4-3 *Matteo Berrettini

18:35 , Lawrence Ostlere

Murray’s serve earns him the first point of the game and he picks up the second via a Berrettini overhit crosscourt drop shot – the big man has missed a few of those today and perhaps doesn’t have quite the deft touch around the net of his opponent. That makes it 30-0, and a brilliant surge from the back of the court to reach a drop shot and flash a crosscourt winner brings up 40-0 and a huge roar from both Murray and the crowd. He wraps it up with an unreturnable wide serve, and that’s an impressive hold to love.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray* 4-6, 3-3 Matteo Berrettini

18:31 , Lawrence Ostlere

Berrettini makes short work of another service game, winning to love. His first serve is motoring.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray 4-6, 3-2 *Matteo Berrettini

18:28 , Lawrence Ostlere

Murray constructs another excellent rally from the back of the court to bring out a Berrettini mistake and move to 30-0, at which point the 13th seed takes a moment to swap rackets – he appears to have damaged the frame on a backhand slice. His first point with the new weapon is swept away with a lovely crosscourt winner, and Murray then screams into the sky after botching a forehand way long. Murray’s serve again comes under pressure at the sunny end of the court, but he does excellently to push Berrettini around the court to extract an error near the net, and then wins a thriller of a rally featuring lobs and drop shots aplenty to go 3-2 up.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray* 4-6, 2-2 Matteo Berrettini

18:22 , Lawrence Ostlere

A quick hold for Berrettini puts the pressure back on Murray’s serve, and the Scot will have to deal with the sun in his eyes once more – both of the breaks he has given away have come at that end.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray 4-6, 2-1 *Matteo Berrettini

18:17 , Lawrence Ostlere

Murray delivers his first ace of the match – an away-swinger down the T – to draw level at 15-all. He follows it with two dominant rallies which draw mistakes from his opponent, and a weak drop-shot into the net gifts Murray the hold.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray* 4-6, 1-1 Matteo Berrettini

18:13 , Lawrence Ostlere

A wonderful backhand return by Murray lands at an advancing Berrettini’s feet, and the big Italian can’t stoop to pick it up cleanly – that’s 15-15. They exchange a couple of errors for 30-all, as Murray shouts “come on!” at the back wall several times. He pulls off a brilliant lob to earn a break point, and he constructs an excellent rally off Berrettini’s second serve to force a backhand error into the net. Fantastic response by Murray to break back.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray 4-6, 0-1 *Matteo Berrettini

18:08 , Lawrence Ostlere

Murray gets himself to 30-15 before dumping a half-court forehand into the net. Looking up into the sun, he produces a second double fault of the match to offer up another break point. The Italian clinches the break with a smash at the net and Murray is in deep trouble now, a set and a break down.

*denotes next server.

Set! Andy Murray* 4-6 Matteo Berrettini

18:01 , Lawrence Ostlere

A 136mph ace kicks off the game, and Berrettini follows it with another to go up 30-love. Murray chips a backhand long and Berrettini whips home a forehand winner to tie up the set.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray 4-5 *Matteo Berrettini

17:58 , Lawrence Ostlere

Murray takes charge of the game with the first three points, but he’s having to do it the hard way as his first serve seems to have deserted him. He holds to love, and now needs to break back or the first set will be Berrettini’s. Murray will be back at the end looking into the sun/shadow which he has been grumbling about, but he needs to set that aside here.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray* 3-5 Matteo Berrettini

17:55 , Lawrence Ostlere

Berrettini rushes through his service game and wins it with a drop shot which Murray can only jab into the net.

*denotes next server.

Murray down a break in the first set

17:53 , Lawrence Ostlere

Murray seemed a little rattled by the sun, which he was serving into there, and perhaps was put off by Berrettini’s provocative positioning on the return too, as the Italian waited wide in the tramlines, inviting the serve down the T on to his forehand. Murray seemed to get a bit discombobulated and the result is a first break.

Andy Murray 3-4 *Matteo Berrettini

17:52 , Lawrence Ostlere

A funny moment to start the game as Murray totally frames a smash at the net, but to such an extent that it loops up and drops just over the net for a drop-shot winner. Murray laughs and apologises at the same time, as Berrettini rolls his eyes. The Italian offers up a delicious drop shot from the back of the court to draw level at 15-all but Murray’s first serve earns him the next point. Berrettini responds with an excellent deep forehand in the next rally for 30-all. Berrettini then drives Murray back and drops him short, and although Murray rushes to get a racket on to the ball he can only hit the net: break point, and Murray double faults! Terrible timing for his first double of the match, and Berrettini breaks.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray* 3-3 Matteo Berrettini

17:46 , Lawrence Ostlere

A terrific Berrettini crosscourt forehand lands on the junction of service line and sideline for a clean winner, and he follows it with a well-disguised drop shot to reach 30-0. Murray has the edge on the longer points and wins the next rally when Berrettini goes long, but then comes an ace for 40-15. What follows is the shot of the match by Murray, a stunning one-handed backhand pass down the line, on the run. Woof! Even Berrettini acknowledges it with a tap of the racket. A first double fault then brings up deuce and a rare sniff of a break for Murray. Berrettini’s fifth ace of the match gives him advantage, Murray responds with a brilliant forehand lob for deuce, and then a short slice draws a mistake from Berrettini to hand Murray his first break point. Murray blocks back a huge serve but can’t stop the Italian from winning the point with a drop shot. Another ace, and then another big serve, and Berrettini escapes with a nervy hold.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray 3-2 *Matteo Berrettini

17:37 , Lawrence Ostlere

Murray’s best game, serving well and then dominating the only rally Berrettini manages to initiate. A second hold to love.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray* 2-2 Matteo Berrettini

17:34 , Lawrence Ostlere

Berrettini offers up another wild mix of powerful first serves and unforced errors to get to 30-all, and a possible window of opportunity for Murray. But the Italian drives two more fantastic serves, one to the body and then to the backhand, to quickly wrap up the game and see off any threat of a break. A good contest, this.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray 2-1 *Matteo Berrettini

17:29 , Lawrence Ostlere

Murray targets his second serve on to Berrettini’s weaker backhand and it pays off with a dumped return into the net. Murray gives up a first point on his serve with a long forehand, then loops another wildly wide to fall behind 15-30, but draws level when the Italian fires a forehand just wide of the line. Then a stroke of misfortune as a forehand hits the net and drops just out, giving Berrettini his first break point of the match: he wastes it with a backhand into the net, a poor unforced error, and that’s deuce. Murray targets the backhand as they rally, to win the next two points and clinch the game.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray* 1-1 Matteo Berrettini

17:22 , Lawrence Ostlere

A second serve gives Murray an immediate opening and he takes it, pouncing on a net cord and putting away a crosscourt forehand winner. But Berrettini earns his first point of the match and then fires an ace down the T to lead 30-15. Murray then gives up a cheap point, chipping wide as he attempted a forehand down the line, but he wins the next two via a well-constructed rally and a Berrettini error to force deuce. The Italian responds with an ace, but a fantastic Murray return to Berrettini’s feet draws them back to deuce. A 135mph ace brings up advantage once more to the 13th seed, and Murray finally relinquishes the game with a forehand into the net.

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray 1-0 *Matteo Berrettini

17:16 , Lawrence Ostlere

Murray starts with two accurate first serves which earn him the first two points of the match without reply. Berrettini gets into the next two points via second serves, but hits the net and then fires wide with a forehand to seal Murray’s first service game to love. Here comes the powerful Berrettini serve...

*denotes next server.

Andy Murray vs Matteo Berrettini

17:13 , Lawrence Ostlere

Andy Murray will serve first...

Andy Murray vs Matteo Berrettini

17:11 , Lawrence Ostlere

Greg Rusedski and Tim Henman both sound upbeat about Murray’s chances against the 13th seed. Sepaking on Amazon Prime Video, Rusedski is predicting four or five sets and a real mammoth battle, while Henman thinks Murray has a real chance if he can start well.

Andy Murray speaking before this match

17:10 , Lawrence Ostlere

On Matteo Berrettini: “He's not just a good serve, he's got a good backhand slice, a strong forehand and he's a good competitor, so it's not going to be easy.”

Andy Murray speaking before this match

17:08 , Lawrence Ostlere

On his fitness: "I'm not having to worry about waking up the next day with something that's going to really impact or hamper my tennis. At times this year I've not been happy with where my game is at, and at other times I've shown myself I can compete with the best players in the world."

Andy Murray vs Matteo Berrettini

17:06 , Lawrence Ostlere

The players are out on court at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, where the fans are slowly drifting to their seats. Coin toss and warm-up coming up.

Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk rejects handshake from Belarus’s Victoria Azarenka at US Open

16:58 , Lawrence Ostlere

Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk on Thursday refused to shake hands with her Belarusian opponent Victoria Azarenka and instead opted for a racket tap after their second-round match at the US Open.

Kostyuk was defeated 6-2, 6-3 by Azarenka.

The 20-year-old Ukrainian has been among the most vocal critics of the lack of condemnation from Russian and Belarusian players to the invasion of her country.

“I just don’t think it’s the right thing to do in the circumstances I’m in right now,” Kostyuk said. “I don’t know any single person who condemned the war publicly, and the actions of their government so I don’t feel like I can support this.”

“We had a great match, don’t get me wrong. She’s a great competitor, I respect her as an athlete, but that has nothing to do with her being a human being.”

Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk rejects handshake from Belarus’s Victoria Azarenka at US Open

Czech doubles pair apologise to crowd for beating Venus and Serena Williams at US Open

16:51 , Lawrence Ostlere

The U.S. Open turned over Arthur Ashe Stadium to the Williams sisters on Thursday for a prime-time first round doubles match that could have been Serena‘s last after the pair fell 7-6 (5) 6-4 to the Czech duo of Lucie Hradecka and Linda Noskova.

Winners of 14 Grand Slam doubles titles, including two U.S. Opens, the Williams sisters were playing together for the first time in more than four years, the occasion attracting a capacity crowd to watch one of tennis’s most successful partnerships take perhaps a final bow.

If it was indeed the last time the Williams sisters would stand shoulder-to-shoulder on court, the end came with little sentiment or emotion. The two greats embraced briefly at the net then stoically packed their bags, exited to a standing ovation and offered only a gentle wave to the cheering crowd.

“I’m so sorry for you that we beat them, but we are so happy that we did it,” apologised Hradecka to the crowd after the match. “I’m still in shock.”

Czech doubles pair apologise to crowd for beating Williams sisters at US Open

British men flying at US Open

16:45 , Lawrence Ostlere

Draper is clearly now a danger to everyone in the draw and will fancy his chances of another upset when he takes on 27th seed Karen Khachanov on Friday.

Murray, meanwhile, faces a familiar rival in last year’s Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini, who he has lost to twice on grass in the last two seasons.

The pair are regular practice partners and hit together before the tournament. Berrettini was impressed by Murray, saying: “I can say that the level is really high. He was playing well.

“Physically he’s well. Obviously it’s a different surface. We played on grass. Here it’s completely different. But it doesn’t matter. When you play Andy Murray, you’re playing Andy Murray. You have to play your best tennis.”

A permanent fixture courtside this week watching the British players, as at every slam, has been Davis Cup captain Leon Smith, and the Scot has a tricky decision on his hands when it comes to naming his final team for the group stage of the finals in Glasgow later this month.

Smith has already picked Norrie, Evans, Murray and world doubles number one Joe Salisbury and only has one space left, which looks to be between Draper and in-form doubles specialist Neal Skupski.

“It’s going to be difficult,” said Evans. “But that’s why Leon is paid the big bucks. But it’s an amazing problem to have.”

British men flying at US Open

16:39 , Lawrence Ostlere

Evans looked be cruising against Australian Duckworth at two sets up before things got a little complicated but the 20th seed fought back from a break down in the fourth set to win 6-3 6-2 4-6 6-4, running to the net in delight.

Another historic moment will come after the tournament when Draper will join Norrie, Evans and Murray in making it the first time since the formalisation of the rankings in 1973 that there are four British men in the top 50.

The 20-year-old began the season outside 250 but has climbed at a phenomenal rate and gave the most exciting demonstration yet of his potential by defeating sixth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in straight sets on Wednesday.

He is reaping the benefits of having more experienced players to learn from and look up to, and he said: “I think I’ve known my tennis ability has been good for a long time now.

“I’ve obviously had the privilege to hit with Andy, Cam, Dan. They’re top players in their own right. I know I could hold my own a while back with them.

“It’s more been about how am I going to cope mentally and physically at this level and do it consistently. That’s what top-tier tennis is all about, being able to be there every single point, compete with these guys.

“It’s mad really. My target at the start of the year was two things: stay injury-free and try to break the top 100. Now I’m going to be top 50.

“I’m obviously very proud of myself. It’s a nice thing for all my hard work that I’ve put in on a daily basis with the people that care about me and support me. Hopefully onwards and upwards from here.”

British men flying at US Open

16:21 , Lawrence Ostlere

It has been a great week so far on the men’s side. British history was made at the US Open on Friday as Cameron Norrie and Dan Evans joined Andy Murray and Jack Draper in making it four through to the third round for the first time since the start of professional tennis.

Not since 1933, when the tournament was known as the US National Championship and was played by fewer players from far fewer countries, has Britain had four men through to the last 32 in New York.

It is also only the second time in the open era that four British men have reached the third round at any grand slam after Wimbledon 25 years ago.

Norrie and Evans are both seeds so were expected to make it through against Joao Sousa and James Duckworth, respectively.

Norrie rarely loses such matches these days and, although he had to save a set point in the third, he was a relatively comfortable 6-4 6-4 7-6 (4) winner over Portugal’s Sousa.

He said: “I think it’s very cool. And especially I think all of us supporting each other. It’s great. For me it’s cool to see Jack. I knew he had the level and I knew he had the tennis and the talent to do it. I’ve been practising with him a lot the last two years. I don’t see why we can’t keep going.”

Order of play today at the US Open

16:05 , Lawrence Ostlere

Arthur Ashe Stadium

Not before 5pm BST

Andy Murray vs Matteo Berrettini

Madison Keys vs Coco Gauff

Not before 12am BST

Ajla Tomlijanovic vs Serena Williams

Daniil Medvedev vs Yibing Wu

Louis Armstrong Stadium

Not before 5pm BST

Ons Jabeur vs Shelby Rodgers

Tommy Paul vs Casper Ruud

Alison Riske-Amritraj vs Xiyu Wang

Not before 12am BST

Bianca Andreescu vs Caroline Garcia

Nick Krygios vs JJ Wolf

Grandstand

Not before 5:30pm BST

Veronika Kudermetova vs Dalma Galfi

Karen Khachanov vs Jack Draper

Pablo Carreno Busta vs Alex De Minaur

Andy Murray vs Matteo Berrettini

15:41 , Lawrence Ostlere

Andy Murray faces the biggest test of his grand slam season so far as the former world No 1 takes on Matteo Berrettini in the third round of the US Open tonight.

Murray is through to the third round of a major for the just the third time since 2017 and has been in impressive form in moving past Francisco Cerundolo and Emilio Nava so far.

But a meeting with the former US Open semi-finalist and 2021 Wimbledon finalist Berrettini is a step up.

The Italian was on patchy form leading up to the US Open, losing his opening match in both Montreal and Cincinnati, but beat Murray over three sets in the final at Stuttgart back in June.