FERNANDO Verdasco caused an Australian Open boilover on Monday, sending No.4 seed Andy Murray crashing with a 2-6 6-1 1-6 6-3 6-4 victory in the fourth round.
Verdasco shrugged off a lightning start from Murray to and quieten the large crowd of British fans at Hisense Arena and qualify for his first grand slam quarter-final in 23 attempts.
Verdasco, the No.14 seed, was far steadier than Murray over the closing two sets, keeping his cool as the Scotsman became more and more frustrated.
Murray offered no excuses after his defeat, acknowledging that his opponent had been the superior player.
Murray was the No.4 and many people's favourite to win the Australian Open, and become Britain's first grand slam men's champion since Fred Perry won Wimbledon and the US Open in 1936, but he said he had been outplayed and outserved by Verdasco.
"I had my chances," Murray said.
"He served incredible in the fourth and fifth sets, so, you know, he deserves the credit for the win.
"I mean, even though I didn't play my best, in the second set and at the beginning of the fourth set, I had chances to get back into the fourth set . Also had a chance to go up in the fifth set.
"He served huge. He started serving like, 215 (km/h) plus on a lot of his first serves.
"The fourth set, I think he served like 93 per cent first serves.
"Sometimes you've just got to say too good and he played better than me."
Murray started the match in great fashion as he raced through the first set for the loss of just two games, and his supporters must have been anticipating another quick match.
But Verdasco, who won the crucial rubber that won Spain the 2008 Davis Cup against Argentina in Buenos Aires, showed he was made of stern stuff as he levelled the match twice, taking the second and fourth sets.
Verdasco, who recovered a 2-1 deficit to beat Jose Acasuso in five sets in Argentina, said that experience had changed him as a player, giving him a much greater belief in himself.
"I was really thinking, when I lost the third set, in that match, in the (Davis Cup) final, that I was the same, two sets to one down," Verdasco said.
"I was thinking that I can do it again. I just need to try my best."
Murray had the first chance to make the decisive move in the deciding set, when he had two break point chances in the sixth game, but Verdasco saved with some big serving to even the set up at 3-3.
Verdasco then pounced on loose serves to break Murray in the next game and take a 4-3 lead.
Murray held his next serve to give himself some hope, but there was no coming back when Verdasco got three match points.
The Briton saved the first two, but Verdasco served wide to Murray's backhand on the third, and the Scot could only put the ball into the net.
"When I did have the break points, I think he made a first serve on every one," Murray said.
"It's difficult to be defensive when that happens."
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