Murray denied his dream
July 03, 2009, 06:51 PM | 139 comments » add comment
With Murray’s serve outstanding in the main throughout this Wimbledon fortnight and with Roddick’s always nothing short of clinical, this had the potential to be an artillery battle. Indeed, Murray dialled in and sent down two aces at deuce in the second game to stave off an early Roddick advance. The talk pre-match centred on whether or not the American would stay patient in an attempt to avoid a repeat of the near-humiliation he received at Murray’s hands in the Doha final in January and there were signs that he was content to stay back and rally. This initially proved unsuccessful in Murray’s service games, but he was holding his own with relative comfort, thanks in no small part to that booming first delivery.
As for Murray, his own first serve was misfiring slightly at this early juncture, but his superior rallying ability was seeing him through. His famous backhand down the line was working well and produced several winners to keep the scoreboard ticking. With Murray serving at 4-5 down,however, Roddick employed that patient play to work some opportunities and force a set point, which he duly took with another long rally ending in a drop shot. The American was out to spoil the big British party and was a third of the way to doing it.
Read more (1015 words)
It was imperative that Murray got off to a good start in the second set and he instantly seemed to come to life, perhaps angered into action by Roddick’s insolence. Some trademark passing shots conjured up three break points in the first game, the first of which he took when Roddick dumped the ball into the net. A rise in the Scot’s first serve percentage was also important and three consecutive aces in the next game to move to 2-0 dealt with that. Murray was clearly pumped up now, drawing the crowd into the match with him – just a shame he couldn’t have been from the outset. That first serve, which makes a player’s life so much simpler when it can be landed with any great effect, was picking up and another simple hold made it 3-1.
As the set progressed, that break at the start was looking crucial from Murray’s point of view, as Roddick resumed normal service with more aces and unreturnables. Just when you didn’t want Murray to tighten up again, he threw in a double fault at 4-3 to take the game to deuce and offer Roddick the sight of a way back in. He held his nerve, however, to invite Roddick to pull the trigger, but the American fired the ball the wrong side of the line. A primeval roar greeted Roddick’s inability to return another big serve which Murray had dug out at the right time and the Briton was up to 5-3. A quick service game in response from Roddick put the pressure straight back on Murray to serve the set out, but he kept his cool to make it honours even.
The start of the third set was almost a carbon copy of the second, with Murray quickly creating three break points as Roddick’s serving level dipped. This time, however, Roddick saved them all with some clutch play and took it through deuce to hold. That looked as though it could be costly as Roddick got to 30-30 in the next game, but an ill-judged dropshot attempt eased the pressure and Murray held with a swashbuckling forehand winner into the open court. At 1-2 down, Murray’s first serve had gone AWOL again and Roddick crunched some second serves away to carve out two break points of his own. The Scot showed an iron will to snatch them away, the first with a beautiful lob on the run, before Roddick eked out another chance at deuce. That was cancelled out by a vital ace, challenged at first by Roddick, but another break point appeared as the Nebraskan looked to boss proceedings and steal a march at a crucial time in the match. That he did, as Murray finally went long.
Frustration was beginning to boil over and it was compounded when the umpire issued a warning for an apparent audible obscenity, a call that Murray strongly disputed. Roddick was looking in the zone and Murray’s fans were praying that their man could recapture his focus before it was too late, so a love service game to make it 4-2 was very welcome. Battling to deuce on Roddick’s serve, he raised hopes that he could break back, but Roddick simply served his way out of the trouble. Murray had to work hard again to hold at 2-5 down, with Roddick seemingly the only one with any real bite to his groundstrokes. With Roddick serving for the set, the time was right for a Murray push and it duly appeared, with one brilliant passing shot featured in a break to 15. Suddenly, the man from Dunblane was fired up again and the crowd bought into his new-found philosophy. The pressure was on Roddick now and he looked wobbly at 30-30 on his serve but, as is often the case, he threw down two aces to dash rising British hopes, temporarily at least.
Eventually, a nail-biting tiebreak ensued, one that was vital to the hopes of both men. Roddick grabbed the initial advantage to move to 2-1 on serve with a low shot that tempted Murray into an error, but that was snatched back brilliantly with a running forehand pass by Britain’s finest. The next few points swung back and forth as Roddick again edged ahead before being pegged back through his own error. Two aces took Murray to the brink of the set at 6-5, but Roddick cruelly deflated the Brits with a drop shot. A set point of Roddick’s own came and went as Murray wonderfully delivered a one-two punch, but a wild error gave the American another chance on his own serve. Finally, after a marathon set, Roddick clinched it as Murray netted with an attempted pass.
Murray was staring down the barrel and Britain’s hopes were lying in the gutter. The Scot required a monumental effort to win the final two sets and keep the dream alive. The Roddick train was held back at the start of the fourth as Murray held to 15, but the crowd were woefully quiet, devastated by the result of the previous set. The tense early games went with serve, with nothing more than either man each needing to negotiate deuce. Murray created a break point out of nowhere at 4-3 up, but Roddick yet again clinically averted the danger. The crowd bayed for a break as Murray led at 5-4 and 6-5, but Roddick’s unfaltering serve ensured another tiebreak. The American took the advantage in that by outrallying Murray, something which seemed so unnatural. Murray had to break back, but Roddick’s first serve, however, just would not fail and he took himself to the brink of the final with two match points. Murray wonderfully saved the first, but couldn’t save the second and his fate was sealed.
Roddick was nearly in tears at the end, so elated and disbelieving was he at having dumped out the British No. 1. He will go on to play five-time champion Roger Federer in the final on Sunday. As for Murray, he is not scheduled to play again until the Montreal Masters in August.
As the set progressed, that break at the start was looking crucial from Murray’s point of view, as Roddick resumed normal service with more aces and unreturnables. Just when you didn’t want Murray to tighten up again, he threw in a double fault at 4-3 to take the game to deuce and offer Roddick the sight of a way back in. He held his nerve, however, to invite Roddick to pull the trigger, but the American fired the ball the wrong side of the line. A primeval roar greeted Roddick’s inability to return another big serve which Murray had dug out at the right time and the Briton was up to 5-3. A quick service game in response from Roddick put the pressure straight back on Murray to serve the set out, but he kept his cool to make it honours even.
The start of the third set was almost a carbon copy of the second, with Murray quickly creating three break points as Roddick’s serving level dipped. This time, however, Roddick saved them all with some clutch play and took it through deuce to hold. That looked as though it could be costly as Roddick got to 30-30 in the next game, but an ill-judged dropshot attempt eased the pressure and Murray held with a swashbuckling forehand winner into the open court. At 1-2 down, Murray’s first serve had gone AWOL again and Roddick crunched some second serves away to carve out two break points of his own. The Scot showed an iron will to snatch them away, the first with a beautiful lob on the run, before Roddick eked out another chance at deuce. That was cancelled out by a vital ace, challenged at first by Roddick, but another break point appeared as the Nebraskan looked to boss proceedings and steal a march at a crucial time in the match. That he did, as Murray finally went long.
Frustration was beginning to boil over and it was compounded when the umpire issued a warning for an apparent audible obscenity, a call that Murray strongly disputed. Roddick was looking in the zone and Murray’s fans were praying that their man could recapture his focus before it was too late, so a love service game to make it 4-2 was very welcome. Battling to deuce on Roddick’s serve, he raised hopes that he could break back, but Roddick simply served his way out of the trouble. Murray had to work hard again to hold at 2-5 down, with Roddick seemingly the only one with any real bite to his groundstrokes. With Roddick serving for the set, the time was right for a Murray push and it duly appeared, with one brilliant passing shot featured in a break to 15. Suddenly, the man from Dunblane was fired up again and the crowd bought into his new-found philosophy. The pressure was on Roddick now and he looked wobbly at 30-30 on his serve but, as is often the case, he threw down two aces to dash rising British hopes, temporarily at least.
Eventually, a nail-biting tiebreak ensued, one that was vital to the hopes of both men. Roddick grabbed the initial advantage to move to 2-1 on serve with a low shot that tempted Murray into an error, but that was snatched back brilliantly with a running forehand pass by Britain’s finest. The next few points swung back and forth as Roddick again edged ahead before being pegged back through his own error. Two aces took Murray to the brink of the set at 6-5, but Roddick cruelly deflated the Brits with a drop shot. A set point of Roddick’s own came and went as Murray wonderfully delivered a one-two punch, but a wild error gave the American another chance on his own serve. Finally, after a marathon set, Roddick clinched it as Murray netted with an attempted pass.
Murray was staring down the barrel and Britain’s hopes were lying in the gutter. The Scot required a monumental effort to win the final two sets and keep the dream alive. The Roddick train was held back at the start of the fourth as Murray held to 15, but the crowd were woefully quiet, devastated by the result of the previous set. The tense early games went with serve, with nothing more than either man each needing to negotiate deuce. Murray created a break point out of nowhere at 4-3 up, but Roddick yet again clinically averted the danger. The crowd bayed for a break as Murray led at 5-4 and 6-5, but Roddick’s unfaltering serve ensured another tiebreak. The American took the advantage in that by outrallying Murray, something which seemed so unnatural. Murray had to break back, but Roddick’s first serve, however, just would not fail and he took himself to the brink of the final with two match points. Murray wonderfully saved the first, but couldn’t save the second and his fate was sealed.
Roddick was nearly in tears at the end, so elated and disbelieving was he at having dumped out the British No. 1. He will go on to play five-time champion Roger Federer in the final on Sunday. As for Murray, he is not scheduled to play again until the Montreal Masters in August.
Player comments and videos
Murray's comments
I don't think I played that passive, he just hit a lot of winners. He came up with some good volleys and served really, really well. I didn't play a bad match, I just didn't make as many passes as I needed. But I expected him to play very well.
I'll move on very, very quickly. That's a pathetic attitude, if you let one match ruin your year. It's been a very good, productive tournament for me. The last two Slams I've come up against two players who have played great, great tennis. I need to keep making sure I bring my best tennis to every match.
Roddick serve was the key (1 video)
Roddick's comments
Today I came in 68 times and it wasn't all in on a pair of twos, I felt like I was picking the right shots at the right time. Larry (Stefanki, coach) was stressing that against Andy, if you come in, you have to hit a good approach shot or the ball's going to come back past you.
Murray's going to break through and win one of these, probably numerous. In my mind it's a matter of time. It's not if, it's when.
I had to play my best (1 video)
Match statistics (1 image)
Murray thrashes Ferrero
July 01, 2009, 05:01 PM | 54 comments » add comment
In many ways it was a strange match. Murray started out looking sluggish, perhaps still hungover from Monday's epic encounter with Stanislas Wawrinka. His movement was laboured and he was committing a catalogue of unforced errors. Fortunately for Murray and bizarrely, both in equal measures, he was serving out of a tree. Ferrero could scarcely win a point on the Murray serve in the opening set.
The World Number 3 was a constant factor in the Spaniard's service games, yet he continued to falter at the crucial moments. Ferrero, a former World Number 1 and French Open champion, was hanging on by the skin of his teeth, and it wasn't until 6-5 that Murray was able to finally make the breakthrough. The home favourite scored with a couple of stinging returns, but it was Ferrero who ended up donating the break and the set with a double fault on set point.
Read more (247 words)
Having bagged the opening set, Murray allowed himself to relax briefly. He threw in a string of unforced errors in the opening game of the second set, tamely handing the Spaniard the break. Buoyed by this, the former World Number 1 raised his level. For a while Ferrero looked destined to square the match. The British Number 1 caught himself just in time, though. He suddenly found his baseline game and began to hit his groundstrokes with authority. The Ferrero forehand, considered one of the biggest in the game a few years ago, look positively junior by comparison. Murray was now in full flow, playing some of his best tennis of the entire fortnight. At one point the Scot won 20 out of 21 points, using a mixture of power and guile. He won 5 games on the spin to take the second set.
There was no hint of a dip in the 3rd set. Some of Murray's tennis, particular towards the end of the match, was astounding. The Spaniard may as well have been throwing in second serves. The Scot was crushing everything and playing with abandon. The game at 4-2 was a joy to behold, as Murray stepped into a succession of returns and bulleted them at the feet of Ferrero. The Spaniard had no answer and soon found himself at the net for the handshake.
Murray goes on to the Semi-Finals on Friday where he will face Andy Roddick.
There was no hint of a dip in the 3rd set. Some of Murray's tennis, particular towards the end of the match, was astounding. The Spaniard may as well have been throwing in second serves. The Scot was crushing everything and playing with abandon. The game at 4-2 was a joy to behold, as Murray stepped into a succession of returns and bulleted them at the feet of Ferrero. The Spaniard had no answer and soon found himself at the net for the handshake.
Murray goes on to the Semi-Finals on Friday where he will face Andy Roddick.
Murray confident heading into semi (1 video)
Tracking Murray
Fancy following how Murray's progress will affect his ranking match by match? Download our exclusive spreadsheet for Wimbledon 2009, available in the members section now.
Murray outfights Wawrinka
June 29, 2009, 10:55 PM | 70 comments » add comment
Whether it was due to the introduction of the new Centre Court roof or the magnitude of the occasion, Murray started tonight's 4th round match in nervous fashion. By contrast, Wawrinka's form in the opening set looked ominous, as he crushed the Scot's frequent short forehands with a devastating array of powerful groundstrokes. The man from Dunblane soon found himself facing a two break deficit. Wawrinka was playing like a man without a care in the world, swinging freely. Murray's slice, so effective in previous matches, was being treated with disdain by the Swiss. The Scot's inability to put together consecutive first serves also did little to help his cause. Inevitably, Wawrinka served it out to take the opening set 6-2.
Murray was able to steady the ship in what was a tense second set. The Swiss maintained his formidable form, but Murray raised his game in order to compete on even terms. Neither man's serve looked overly secure, however. Wawrinka, in particular, created multiple opportunites. And at 3-3, he had the world number 3 on the brink. However, the Scot was able to hang tough and fashioned a break of his own in the next game with some determined play. By this point the partisan crowd was in a frenzy, as the Scot motioned to them to get on their feet and crank up the volume. They duly obliged, roaring on the home favourite as he served out to even up the match at one set apiece.
Read more (376 words)
There was a noticeable dip in the Swiss' level at the start of 3rd set. Murray, however, continued with the form he had shown at the end of the 2nd. In many ways it followed the same pattern as the set previous, except it was the world number 3 creating most of the opportunities. And once again the Scot was able to break towards the business end of the set. He then broke once more to add insult to injury, allowing himself to start the 4th set serving. Lesser men would have thrown in the towel, but inexplicably Wawrinka went from strength to strength. He again started to create opportunities on the Murray serve. The Scot appeared to be under almost incessant pressure, fending off one breakpoint after another. He was getting by on sheer determination for the vast majority of the set. His resistance was finally broken in the 11th game of the set, however. Wawrinka finally took one of his countless opportunities as Murray dumped a backhand into the net. The Swiss then served out to setup a nailbiting 5th set.
"Nailbiting" scarcely sums up just how nerve-wracking the final set of this match was. It was back and forth all the way. It was Murray who drew first blood, as he broke to race into a 3-0 lead. The Scot grew careless, however, and allowed the Swiss back into the match. As the match entered what Americans like to calling "winning time", it was Murray's mental fortitude that shone through. He created multiple breakpoint opportunities as he led 4-3. Wawrinka remained rock solid and refused to donate the break. The Swiss was not in a generous mood. Sensing this, the Scot took matters into his own hands, ripping a forehand winner up the line to break. £100 million was nearly laid to waste as the Centre Court crowd attempted to take the roof off. The noise was defeaning. Murray then served out the match nervelessly, before collapsing to the turf, an emotional and physical wreck. If anyone doubts what this tournament means to Murray, they need only look at his reaction at the conclusion of this match.
Murray will hope to recover in time to take on Juan Carlos Ferrero in Wednesday's Quarter-Final.
"Nailbiting" scarcely sums up just how nerve-wracking the final set of this match was. It was back and forth all the way. It was Murray who drew first blood, as he broke to race into a 3-0 lead. The Scot grew careless, however, and allowed the Swiss back into the match. As the match entered what Americans like to calling "winning time", it was Murray's mental fortitude that shone through. He created multiple breakpoint opportunities as he led 4-3. Wawrinka remained rock solid and refused to donate the break. The Swiss was not in a generous mood. Sensing this, the Scot took matters into his own hands, ripping a forehand winner up the line to break. £100 million was nearly laid to waste as the Centre Court crowd attempted to take the roof off. The noise was defeaning. Murray then served out the match nervelessly, before collapsing to the turf, an emotional and physical wreck. If anyone doubts what this tournament means to Murray, they need only look at his reaction at the conclusion of this match.
Murray will hope to recover in time to take on Juan Carlos Ferrero in Wednesday's Quarter-Final.
Murray's comments
It was pretty special, I thought Stan played a great match. The standard he set at the start was tough to keep up with.
He was playing great and he came out with some big shots. In five-set matches there are these momentum shifts sometimes.
It was great, always when you play indoors the atmosphere is great, but when you've got 15,000 supporters it makes it extra special, so thanks a lot.
I'll have a pretty deep sleep tonight after that. After a match like that you take a lot of confidence, it was a great day.
Murray unhappy with roof decision
It was dry when we were warming up outside and I was expecting to play without the roof.
In very few sports would coaches and teams be particularly happy if they don't know exactly what time they're going to kick off or what the conditions are going to be like when they go out there.
When you haven't experienced something before it is tough to know how it's going to play.
I'd never played a grass-court match indoors before and it made a difference.
It's very, very heavy and I was sweating so much. When I finished it was like I'd been in a bath.
Both of us were trying to get white towels from the locker room because your hands were drenched. When I finished it was like I'd been in a bath, it was very, very humid.
It slowed it down a lot and I struggled to serve because it wasn't coming off the strings that quickly. There were a lot more rallies and I got a lot less free points off my serve when it did go in.
You can really swing very hard at the ball and it can go in the net or doesn't really go anywhere.
I like playing indoors and going into the next match I'll know what to expect if the roof comes on.
But for two-and-a-half sets of the match I played great tennis, it's just that it took me a little while to get used to it.
Wawrinka's comments
He's playing very well and I think he's good for the rest of the tournament.
He's ready but you shouldn't forget the other players. Roger Federer is still there and I think it could be a very nice final.
It was a tough match and to lose is very bad for me. I tried everything to win the match but it was not enough.
It was very special, it was a nice atmosphere on Centre Court, with all the fans, and I enjoyed the match a lot but for sure I'm very sad afterwards.
In the second game of the final set he broke me when I was 40-0. I was playing very good, I was in the match and I was hoping to do better in the fifth set.
Murray thrashes Troicki
June 27, 2009, 07:54 PM | 44 comments » add comment
Troicki was playing on Centre Court for the first time, and unfortunately for the Serb, the fact was glaringly obvious. His unorthodox service motion was restricting his effectiveness on his own serve, with Troicki committing a catalogue of double faults. The thirtieth seed was also looking tense in the other aspects of his game, and Murray exploited it with surgical precision, floating slice after slice to an increasingly despondent Troicki who continued to misfire. Murray broke to lead 4-2 in the first set and then pounced again to seal the double break and the set.
The British number one looked untouchable on his service games, showing a lethal mix of pace and variation. Murray was broken twice all week at Queen's Club, and has brought his formidable serving rhythm through to nearby SW19.
Read more (165 words)
Murray was never in danger, and it showed in his relaxed, effortless nature of play. There was an overwhelming sense that the world number three could simply break at will, a dangerous sign indeed for the others in the draw as the tournament enters its latter phases.
Signs of rainfall were the only hindrance to Murray as he blazed through set three. As the court maintenance team gathered at the side, bedecked in green, Murray accelerated his play, firing down ace after ace to confirm the win, in rapid fashion.
The third seed will face Stanislas Wawrinka in the last sixteen. Wawrinka is a close friend of Murray, and is a technically astute player, but feels most comfortable on slower surfaces. Murray turned in one of his best performances in 2008 against the Swiss, dismantling him in straight sets at the US Open.
With Murray cutting through the draw with an iron fist, who would bet against a similar scoreline when they meet on Monday?
Signs of rainfall were the only hindrance to Murray as he blazed through set three. As the court maintenance team gathered at the side, bedecked in green, Murray accelerated his play, firing down ace after ace to confirm the win, in rapid fashion.
The third seed will face Stanislas Wawrinka in the last sixteen. Wawrinka is a close friend of Murray, and is a technically astute player, but feels most comfortable on slower surfaces. Murray turned in one of his best performances in 2008 against the Swiss, dismantling him in straight sets at the US Open.
With Murray cutting through the draw with an iron fist, who would bet against a similar scoreline when they meet on Monday?
Murray swats Gulbis aside
June 25, 2009, 07:10 PM | 29 comments » add comment
There were stirrings in the media of a possible grudge between the two following Gulbis' earlier comments about their last encounter, but both players moved to defuse any tension before the match. Nevertheless, both men will have felt that they had a point to prove - Murray to build on his slightly below-standard performance against Kendrick in round one, while Gulbis will have wanted to show that he can capitalise on the potential that many pundits felt he had a year or so ago.
Immediately, Murray had the Latvian battling to hold his serve by taking him to deuce in the first game, but Gulbis displayed his trademark big delivery to dig himself out of the early hole. Gulbis looked to be holding the early advantage with two break points in the next game, but Murray showed himself to be the equal of the man from the Baltic with some huge serves of his own. Indeed, huge serves dominated the embryonic contest until, at 2-2, Murray eked out two break points with his superior variety, taking the second to grab a hold of the match. The magician from Dunblane began to step up the pressure, his innate defensive ability forcing Gulbis into playing one inferior ball too many. One brilliant cross-court winner and satellite-guided backspin lob at 4-2 up had Gulbis scrambling to stay within touching distance early on. It was starting to look like a man against a boy, with Murray's experience and featherlight touch bamboozling Gulbis, negating his power play. For Murray's legion of fans, this first set was manna from heaven, as the full range of his abilities was laid out to admire. Winning 16 straight points on his serve, the Scot closed out the set 6-2.
Read more (380 words)
Things could only get better at the start of the second set for Gulbis and he duly steadied his ship by holding serve with a couple of aces. With a poorly-judged challenge against a Gulbis return that landed right on the baseline, Murray was taken to deuce in his first service game of the set, but his increasingly impressive delivery again averted any danger. As was becoming glaringly obvious, Gulbis was encountering problems when Murray could steer his first return into play, so he was relying on his big serve to function to have any chance of keeping Murray at bay. Certainly, if anyone was making inroads into the other's service games, it was the Briton. Gradually, however, the contest began to even up as the set moved towards a tiebreak. That tiebreak looked inevitable as they moved to 5-5, but some brilliantly placed rallying from Murray teased out the first break opportunity of the set, which he snatched up by coaxing an unforced error from the Latvian. With supreme composure, Murray battered down an ace on set point to seal it 7-5.
The third set threatened to take the shape of the first when Gulbis was taken to deuce in the opening game, but some more respectable net play to what had gone previously prevented him from being immediately put to the sword. The reprieve, however, was short-lived, as Murray was evidently in the mood for a quick finish and perhaps some dinner in Wimbledon village. Inviting Gulbis to join him in a battle of backspin backhands, Murray came out in top in that particular battle to fashion another break. From there on, Murray was in no mood to drop his intensity as he grabbed another break to put the seal on the win.
Following the indifferent performance against Robert Kendrick in round one, this was a very welcome showing from Britain's No. 1. With the weight of opening match nerves lifted, Murray clearly felt free to express himself and show just why there is real belief in him this year. He served imperiously throughout, barely allowing Gulbis even a sniff of a break.
Murray moves on to round three, where he will face Viktor Troicki, the Serbian 30th seed. That match will take place on Saturday.
The third set threatened to take the shape of the first when Gulbis was taken to deuce in the opening game, but some more respectable net play to what had gone previously prevented him from being immediately put to the sword. The reprieve, however, was short-lived, as Murray was evidently in the mood for a quick finish and perhaps some dinner in Wimbledon village. Inviting Gulbis to join him in a battle of backspin backhands, Murray came out in top in that particular battle to fashion another break. From there on, Murray was in no mood to drop his intensity as he grabbed another break to put the seal on the win.
Following the indifferent performance against Robert Kendrick in round one, this was a very welcome showing from Britain's No. 1. With the weight of opening match nerves lifted, Murray clearly felt free to express himself and show just why there is real belief in him this year. He served imperiously throughout, barely allowing Gulbis even a sniff of a break.
Murray moves on to round three, where he will face Viktor Troicki, the Serbian 30th seed. That match will take place on Saturday.
Murray happy with improving serve (1 video)
Murray fights hard to down Kendrick
June 23, 2009, 08:00 PM | 41 comments » add comment
After the explosion of hype preceding Murray's casual saunter onto Centre Court, it was a relatively tame performance from the British number one, but one that was sufficient to see him move through, 7-5 6-7 6-3 6-4.
The Scot doesn't really deliver first round dramas on the lawns of SW19, his opening matches against Bastl, Massu and Santoro have all been comfortable in previous years, but Kendrick produced some glowing old school tennis, which troubled Murray due to it's lack of rhythm and predictability, and at one set all, Murray looked suddenly quite vulnerable in front of his home crowd.
Murray was evidently fired up from the onset ; he broke in the very first game, and served indomitably until a slack game at 4-3 cost him his lead, and prolonged proceedings in the first set. Kendrick's booming first serve was proving difficult for the world number three, an esteemed returner, to read. However, Murray pressured the American at the tail end of the set, and it yielded the service break which Murray craved.
Read more (195 words)
Kendrick did not deflate, however. If anything, his tennis continued to swell in nature, consistently pulling off an array of dramatic dive volleys and devastating forehands that skidded through the court with aplomb. He was full of swagger and confidence. Murray had the vociferous backing of the partisan crowd, but there was no doubt that it was his opponent who was providing the value for money entertainment. The set careered into a tie-break at breakneck pace, which Kendrick took in stunning fashion, ripping a forehand winner off a slow second service.
Fortunately for Murray, as he has stressed all week, round one is all about the result and he continued to fight hard, as the power of balance tilted towards the home favourite. Kendrick continued to dazzle, but it was the third seed who started to shift through the higher gears and ultimately, seize control of the match.
Murray celebrated with a fist-pump, it was an important win against an opponent who rose to the occasion beautifully. Waiting for the Dunblane native in round two, is Ernests Gulbis, who will no doubt play similar swashbuckling, aggressive tennis that Kendrick brought to the table this evening.
Fortunately for Murray, as he has stressed all week, round one is all about the result and he continued to fight hard, as the power of balance tilted towards the home favourite. Kendrick continued to dazzle, but it was the third seed who started to shift through the higher gears and ultimately, seize control of the match.
Murray celebrated with a fist-pump, it was an important win against an opponent who rose to the occasion beautifully. Waiting for the Dunblane native in round two, is Ernests Gulbis, who will no doubt play similar swashbuckling, aggressive tennis that Kendrick brought to the table this evening.
Murray pleased with 'tough' win (1 video)
Wimbledon draw opens up for Murray
June 19, 2009, 11:37 AM | 135 comments » add comment
Murray's probable route to the title is as follows:
R1 > Robert Kendrick
R2 > Gulbis
R3 > Dent/Troicki
R4 > Wawrinka/Safin
QF > Simon/Gonzalez
SF > Del Potro
F > Roger Federer
View the full draw here
Murray has played 29-year-old Kendrick three times, winning every encounter. The last meeting was at Miami in 2007, while Murray came out on top at the 2006 US Open as well. Their only grass encounter, at Newport in 2006, ended 6-0 6-0 to the Scot.
Murray has sympathy for Nadal (1 video)
