Andy Murray sauntered into the fourth round of the Australian open today, vanquishing Florent Serra 7-5, 6-1, 6-4. In pre-match interviews Murray refused to under-estimated his opponent, currently ranked 64 in the world, and the first set demonstrated why.
Opening with three consecutive aces, Murray raced through the opening service game before immediately breaking Serra's serve and advancing to a 3-0 lead. The Frenchman defended five break points in the fourth game before finally getting on the scoreboard. So far, so good, and a routine win for the Scot looked odds on. Serra however was not going down without a fight and started to punish Murray with some vicious ground strokes, retrieving the break and levelling the score. The pair exchanged service holds until 4-3, where Murray unleashed a salvo of fearsome forehand and backhand winners to grab another break and advance to within one game of the set.
Read more (216 words)Unfortunately, lapses in concentration are rapidly becoming a Murray trademark, and Serra hit straight back, capitalising on some sloppy play and a double fault on break point. The Frenchman then held easily to level the score at 5-5. Worryingly, Murray was now showing signs of physical discomfort, grimacing and clutching his back.
Whatever was wrong with the Scot, it was not enough to prevent him holding serve and forcing Serra to again serve to stay in the set. There was no lack of focus from Murray this time, forcing the pace and taking a third and decisive break.
After fighting so hard in the first set, it was perhaps inevitable that Serra would feel deflated. Murray began to find his A game, and raced through the second set in 28 minutes.
The third set threatened to be a whitewash as Murray surged into a double break *3-0 lead, but another mental lapse opened the door and allowed Serra to retrieve one of these. Murray's first serve, firing only sporadically up to now, suddenly roared into life and Serra was left helpless as Murray closed out what was a comfortable, if hard fought, victory.
Next up in round 4 is John Isner, the big serving American who has this year blasted down 78 aces in 6 matches.
Murray's commentsMy back is a bit stiff - the courts here are sticky and a change of direction can hurt the lower back. I've had trouble with it in the last couple of years here but it's nothing out of ordinary
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