- Australian tennis star Purcell provisionally suspended for doping
- Asian markets track Wall St rally as US inflation eases rate fears
- Luxury Western goods line Russian stores, three years into sanctions
- Wallace and Gromit return with comic warning about AI dystopia
- Philippine military says will acquire US Typhon missile system
- Afghan bread, the humble centrepiece of every meal
- Honda and Nissan expected to begin merger talks
- 'Draconian' Vietnam internet law heightens free speech fears
- Israeli women mobilise against ultra-Orthodox military exemptions
- Asian markets track Wall St rally as US inflation eases rate worries
- Tens of thousands protest in Serbian capital over fatal train station accident
- Trump vows to 'stop transgender lunacy' as a top priority
- Daniels throws five TDs as Commanders down Eagles, Lions and Vikings win
- 'Who's next?': Misinformation and online threats after US CEO slaying
- Only 12 trucks delivered food, water in North Gaza Governorate since October: Oxfam
- InterContinental Hotels Group PLC Announces Transaction in Own Shares - December 23
- Melrose Group Publicly Files Complaint to the Ontario Securities Commission
- Langers edge Tiger and son Charlie in PNC Championship playoff
- Explosive batsman Jacobs gets New Zealand call-up for Sri Lanka series
- Holders PSG edge through on penalties in French Cup
- Slovak PM Fico on surprise visit to Kremlin to talk gas deliveries
- Daniels throw five TDs as Commanders down Eagles
- Atalanta fight back to take top spot in Serie A, Roma hit five
- Mancini admits regrets over leaving Italy for Saudi Arabia
- Run machine Ayub shines as Pakistan sweep South Africa
- Slovak PM Fico on surprise visit to Kremlin
- Gaza rescuers say Israeli strikes kill 35
- 'Incredible' Liverpool must stay focused: Slot
- Maresca 'absolutely happy' as title-chasing Chelsea drop points in Everton draw
- Salah happy wherever career ends after inspiring Liverpool rout
- Three and easy as Dortmund move into Bundesliga top six
- Liverpool hit Spurs for six, Man Utd embarrassed by Bournemouth
- Netanyahu vows to act with 'force, determination' against Yemen's Huthis
- Mbappe back from 'bottom' as Real Madrid down Sevilla
- Ali hat-trick helps champions Ahly crush Belouizdad
- France kept on tenterhooks over new government
- Salah stars as rampant Liverpool hit Spurs for six
- Syria's new leader says all weapons to come under 'state control'
- 'Sonic 3' zips to top of N.America box office
- Rome's Trevi Fountain reopens to limited crowds
- Mbappe strikes as Real Madrid down Sevilla
- 'Nervous' Man Utd humiliated by Bournemouth
- Pope again condemns 'cruelty' of Israeli strikes on Gaza
- Lonely this Christmas: Vendee skippers in low-key celebrations on high seas
- Troubled Man Utd humiliated by Bournemouth
- 2 US pilots shot down over Red Sea in 'friendly fire' incident: military
- Man Utd embarrassed by Bournemouth, Chelsea held at Everton
- France awaits fourth government of the year
- Germany pledges security inquest into Christmas market attack
- Death toll in Brazil bus crash rises to 41
'Proud' Murray wins five-set epic on return to Australian Open
Andy Murray said that the injury hell which nearly forced him into retirement now seemed worth all the pain after battling to his first win at the Australian Open since 2017 on Tuesday.
The three-time Grand Slam champion, playing with a metal hip following career-saving surgery in 2019, heroically emerged victorious from five epic sets against 21st seed Nikoloz Basilashvili.
The 34-year-old Murray wrestled with the big-hitting Georgian for almost four hours before claiming his place in the second round, where he will face Japanese qualifier Taro Daniel.
Scotland's Murray, ranked 113 and playing as a tournament wild card, showed his trademark fighting spirit to edge home in the gripping final set and clinch a 6-1, 3-6, 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-4 victory.
It was his first match at the Australian Open since 2019, when he went out in the first round. He made a tearful exit and it was thought that it might be his farewell. He had surgery on his hip weeks later, his career at stake.
"I think winning matches like today and competing against guys that are around 20-25 in the rankings, yeah, I'm proud of that," Murray, a former world number one, said.
"It's not easy. I put a lot of work and effort in. Even since the operation I've had various issues as well. Kept going and, yeah, days like today make it worthwhile."
Of his return to the court that conjured painful memories of his last tilt at the Australian Open, Murray added: "I don't think much about what happened three years ago. I know you'd probably like me to say something different, but that's the truth."
His nail-biting victory over Basilashvili continued an intense rivalry between the pair, with Murray rallying from a set down to defeat him last week in Sydney and also prevailing over four sets in the first round at Wimbledon last year.
- Thundering groundstrokes -
Murray grabbed the opening set with the loss of just one game, but Basilashvili levelled it up with the second set, before trading blows with the wily Scot in the third.
Basilashvili was hammering his groundstrokes and Murray had to use all his guile and guts to get the ball back in play and work for an opening.
They went to a deciding set after Basilashvili refused to go quietly, winning a titanic tiebreaker in the fourth set.
The Georgian began the final set poorly, falling behind 0-40 on serve and netting a backhand to hand Murray a break.
But yet again Basilashvili refused to give in and broke back to level at 4-4.
Murray held serve and then got to 0-40 on Basilashvili's service in the 10th game before taking the epic, to crowd pandemonium inside the arena.
Murray lost to Roger Federer once in the final of the Australian Open and four times to Novak Djokovic.
But Murray is a three-time Grand Slam champion, winning the 2012 US Open, and the following year he became the first British man to win the Wimbledon singles crown in 77 years. He won it again in 2016.
S.Gregor--AMWN