Andy Murray now 7-0 in deciding sets this year with grueling win over Etcheverry at Indian Wells

When the going gets tough, Andy Murray gets going.

The three-time Grand Slam champion and former No. 1 improved to 7-0 in deciding sets this year at Indian Wells on Thursday, battling from a set down to defeat Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry, 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-4, in the first round of the Masters 1000 event.

He was asked about his flawless record in deciding sets in his on-court interview, and whether it’s a coincidence or not.

“I don’t think it is a coincidence," Murray replied, "but last year I lost a lot of them, and I was talking to my team about it and was saying, like, the law of averages is saying this can’t keep going. And once I won one, I did feel like I would start to feel more comfortable in those situations, and thankfully that’s been the case.

“Winning all seven this year, I'm aware at some stage I’ll lose one, but I worked really hard in the off-season. I put myself in a great position physically and I feel very motivated, so even when I’ve gone behind in the matches I’ve kept fighting, kept trying to find solutions.

“If some of these matches were played last year I wouldn’t have won them, so credit to the hard work in the off-season, and to my team for pushing me.”

ANDY MURRAY IN DECIDING SETS THIS YEAR (7-0):
d. Berrettini in Australian Open 1st Rd, 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (6)
d. Kokkinakis in Australian Open 2nd Rd, 4-6, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (5), 6-3, 7-5
d. Sonego in Doha 1st Rd, 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (4)
d. Zverev in Doha 2nd Rd, 7-6 (5), 2-6, 7-5
d. Muller in Doha QFs, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2
d. Lehecka in Doha SFs, 6-0, 3-6, 7-6 (6)
d. Etcheverry in Indian Wells 1st Rd, 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-4

Murray is now 7-3 overall on the year, having fallen to Sebastian Korda in Adelaide, Roberto Bautista Agut at the Australian Open and Daniil Medvedev in the Doha final—none in a deciding set.

Against Etcheverry, Murray was facing a player who was fresh off the first ATP final of his career in Santiago last week—and the No. 61-ranked Argentine just wasn’t giving Murray anything early on, winning a grueling one-hour, 27-minute first set in a tie-break.

After two holds to start the second set Murray caught fire, winning the next five games in a row to take the 38-minute second set—but the two went into a holding pattern from there, eventually finding themselves in a deadlock at 4-all in the deciding set.

That’s when Murray pounced one last time, building a 0-40, triple break point lead and eventually breaking on his fifth chance, then serving it out in the next game, finishing it off with an ace.

“In some of the matches I’ve managed to win this year I felt like I was fortunate, whereas today I really had lots of chances in that third set and I wasn’t getting them,” Murray said. “I was getting really frustrated, and he was coming up with big serves, but I also felt like I made some poor decisions as well. And the more chances that go by the more you think about it. I think I did really well to keep going at the end. I was fortunate he hit the double fault to give me the break.

“Another brutal match, and yeah, I’ve managed to get through it.”

Awaiting Murray in the second round will be No. 15 seed Pablo Carreno Busta, which will—perhaps surprisingly—be a first-time meeting.