London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Mar 14, 2026

'Painful stuff!' - Andy Murray responds to booing fans after emotional win

'Painful stuff!' - Andy Murray responds to booing fans after emotional win

Andy Murray hit back at a small number of Australian Open tennis fans who appeared to boo him after his first-round win.

The Scot came through a gruelling five-set match to beat No.23 Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-1, 3-6, 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-4.

Murray’s first win at the tournament, three years on from announcing his plans to retire amid a debilitating hip injury, saw the 34-year-old struggle to hold back his emotions as he lapped up the applause from the crowd during jubilant scenes at the end of the match.

However, during his post-match interview a very small number of individuals could be heard boing the Scot for an unbeknown reason.

Interrupting his own answer to a question on his hopes for the tournament, Murray said: ‘Painful stuff those guys’ in response to the boos.

Asked what he wants to achieve this month he said: ‘I want to keep obviously improving, I think there’s things in my game I can definitely do better.

Andy Murray was pushed all the way by Nikoloz Basilashvili


‘I would love to have a deep run here if possible, * crowd boos* painful stuff those guys.

‘I would like to have a deep run, it’s something I’ve not had in one of the Slams since I came back from the injury and it’s something that motivates me.

‘I’ve played some of my best tennis here over the years, I feel comfortable here and I hope I can do it this tournament.’

Commentators picked up on the boos and also could not understand why some fans had opted to jeer the former British No.1, while some fans took to social media to suggest they were actually shouting ‘SIUU’ at random – the phrase associated with Cristiano Ronaldo’s iconic celebration.

Murray did leave the court to a standing ovation though and will now play Japanese qualifier Taro Daniel in the next round.

The Scot will be hoping his legs recover from the ‘brutal’ fifth setter before his next match on Thursday.

‘It’s amazing. Been a tough three or four years. Put in a lot of work to get back here,’ Murray added.

‘I’ve played on this court many times and always had fantastic support. This is where I thought I had potentially played my last match three years ago. Couldn’t ask for any more.

‘It was a brutal match in Sydney [against Basilashvili]. I had to do a lot of running, a lot of defending but a little confidence from the win.’

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Planned Australia Visit Draws Mixed Reaction From Local Communities
Trump Calls on France and UK to Help Safeguard Strait of Hormuz Shipping Route
Boris Johnson Labels Bitcoin a ‘Ponzi Scheme’, Sparking Debate in Crypto World
UK Considers Targeted Aid for Vulnerable Households as Energy Costs Rise
Stellantis Urges Immediate Review of UK Electric Vehicle Sales Targets
Home Office Reverses Course to Allow Some Dual Nationals to Enter UK Using EU Passports
Reform UK Proposes Replacing Top Civil Servants With Officials Aligned to Government Agenda
Netflix Adds Critically Acclaimed ‘Best Film of 2025’ With Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Score
‘The Sums Don’t Add Up’: UK Farmers Hit by Soaring Costs as Iran War Disrupts Global Supplies
Confidential UK Biobank Health Records Found Online After Researchers Accidentally Expose Data
Trump Urges Britain and Allies to Deploy Warships to Safeguard Strait of Hormuz
Trump Urges Britain and Allies to Deploy Warships to Safeguard Strait of Hormuz
Middle East War Highlights Strategic Importance of Strong UK–Ireland Cooperation
Weak Growth Signals UK Economy Was Faltering Even Before Middle East Energy Shock
Marks & Spencer Tops UK Fashion Retail Rankings as Most Considered Brand
United States Launches Trade Investigation Into Allies Over Forced Labour Practices
United States Launches Trade Investigation Into Allies Over Forced Labour Practices
Russia Accuses Britain Over Storm Shadow Strike as London Reaffirms Ukraine’s Right to Self-Defence
Russia Accuses Britain Over Storm Shadow Strike as London Reaffirms Ukraine’s Right to Self-Defence
Royal Navy to Acquire Twenty Uncrewed Surface Vessels for Autonomous Warfare Testing
Russia Summons British and French Envoys After Ukrainian Storm Shadow Strike on Strategic Facility
Starmer Confirms Britain Will Maintain Sanctions on Russia Despite U.S. Policy Shift
UK Moves to Refine AI Definition in Investment Security Reform
UK Economy Stalls in January as Growth Unexpectedly Falls to Zero
Asian Energy Security Tested as Strait of Hormuz Disruption Threatens Oil Supplies
Iran Sets Three Conditions for Ending Regional War as Diplomatic Efforts Intensify
Tesla Secures Approval to Supply Electricity Directly to Homes Across Britain
Prince William Delivers Tribute to Australia’s Naval Alliance Amid Renewed Royal Spotlight on the Country
UK Foreign Secretary Travels to Saudi Arabia to Reinforce Support for Regional Allies
Putin’s ‘Hidden Hand’ May Be Assisting Iran in Conflict With Trump, UK Defence Secretary Warns
UK Sets April Deadline for Tech Platforms to Strengthen Online Protections for Children
Elon Musk Moves Into Britain’s Energy Market as Tesla Wins Licence to Supply Power
UK Watchdog Warns Fuel Retailers Against Profiteering Amid Iran War Price Surge
Report Claims Iran Used UK Charity Network to Expand Influence
United States and United Kingdom Establish Joint Standards for Counter-Drone Technology
Iran May Be Laying Naval Mines in Strait of Hormuz, UK Warns Amid Escalating Gulf Tensions
US Deploys Bunker-Buster Bombs to UK Airbase as Iran Conflict Intensifies
British Troops in Iraq Intercept Iranian Drones Targeting Coalition Base
Release of Mandelson Files Raises Tensions as UK Seeks Stable Relations With Donald Trump
UK Documents Reveal Starmer Was Warned About Mandelson’s Epstein Links Before Ambassador Appointment
Nearly Five Hundred UK Mortgage Deals Withdrawn in Two Days as Market Volatility Forces Lenders to Reprice
Three Cargo Ships Hit Near Iran as Attacks Spread to Strategic Strait of Hormuz
Why British Police Repeatedly Declined to Investigate Jeffrey Epstein’s UK Links
UK Parliament Ends Hereditary Seats in House of Lords, Closing Chapter on Centuries of Aristocratic Lawmaking
EU and UK Urge Israel to Act Against Rising West Bank Settler Violence Amid Regional Tensions
US Senator John Kennedy Says Keir Starmer Should Not Be Trusted for Military Advice Amid Iran War Debate
UK High Court Rejects Attempt to Revive Terrorism Charge Against Kneecap Rapper
Revolut Secures Full UK Banking Licence After Multi-Year Regulatory Wait
Kentucky’s Bench Boost Powers Wildcats Past LSU in SEC Tournament Opener
British Couple Die After Being Pulled From Water at Australian Beach During Family Visit
×