Andy Murray was critical of Stefanos Tsitsipas after the Greek took a medical timeout and a seven-minute bathroom break in their opening-round matchup on Day 1 of the 2021 US Open. The world No. 3 ultimately came through in five sets, 2-6, 7-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in four hours, 49 minutes.
After dropping the third set, Tsitsipas took a medical timeout to receive treatment on his left foot. Following set four, in which he held a 5-0 lead before a late Murray charge, Tsitsipas took an extended bathroom break and changed his kit.
The 34-year-old Murray said that the prolonged breaks affected him physically, rather than mentally, as his body cooled down during the idle time.
"The issue is that you cannot stop the way that that affects you physically," he explained. "When you're playing a brutal match like that, you know, stopping for seven, eight minutes, you do cool down. You can prepare for it mentally as much as you like, but it's the fact that it does affect you physically when you take a break that long, well, multiple times during the match."
Murray also called out his opponent for pausing at a crucial moment in the fourth set, when Tsitsipas went to his bag to change racquets when serving at love-30. (Murray did go on to break in that particular game, to close to 5-3.)
The Briton beat Tsitsipas to the press room, and the Greek was asked about Murray's comments.
"I don't think I broke any rules," he responded. "I played by the guidelines, how everything is. Yeah, definitely something for both of us to kind of chat about and make sure. I don't know how my opponent feels when I'm out there playing the match. It's not really my priority.
"As far as I'm playing by the rules and sticking to what the ATP says is fair, then the rest is fine. I have nothing against him. Absolutely nothing."
Murray was not all negative with regards to his opponent, though he tempered his praise.
"I rate him a lot," Murray said. "I think he's a brilliant player. I think he's great for the game. But I have zero time for that stuff at all, and I lost respect for him."
Before leaving the press room, Murray closed with this: "I would have said the same thing if I'd won, I promise. It was nonsense, and he knows it."
