Andy Murray is through to the Shanghai Masters quarter-finals after a straightforward 6-2, 6-2 win over Ukraine's Alexandr Dolgopolov.
The Scot took five of his six break point opportunities and looked in control throughout, sealing victory within an hour to secure his first win of the tournament. Murray is looking to win his third consecutive Shanghai title after successes in 2010 and 2011.
It was a solid performance from the Brit but he didn’t have to be at his best, with the Ukrainian hitting a colossal 34 unforced errors. Both players held serve to start but that was the only point it was really a contest, with the third seed breaking in game three. Dolgopolov looked to break back at 3-2 but Murray knocked away the opportunity with a couple of big serves and then broke through again after more loose errors from the Ukrainian.
The British number one took the set with a couple of aces and was looking very comfortable, despite a constant cough that he picked up the previous week in Tokyo. The second set followed the same route as the first, with both players holding serve. But the hold from Dolgopolov would prove to be his last, as Murray broke again in the third game after a stunning rally; the world number 20 hit what looked to be a winning drop shot, but the Scot chased it down before stretching up to reach the attempted lob and the Ukrainian duly hit a forehand long on the next shot.
Read more (199 words)Just when the match seemed to be heading to a swift conclusion however, Dolgopolov struck back. Some heavy forehands opened up break point before he latched onto a short second serve and stuck away the volley to get back on serve. The Brit’s racquet became the second casualty in as many matches as a result, but the world number three got himself back together to break straight back to regain the advantage.
This time there was no slip up as Murray held with ease, and by now the Ukrainian was looking a beaten man. Some typical Murray defending saw Dolgopolov hit another shot into the tramlines before a forehand winner sealed the third consective break, and effectively the match with it. The Ukrainian was still fighting but Murray was simply too good, coming from 0-30 down to see the match out in just 58 minutes and book his place in the quarter finals.
Murray will now face Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic in the last eight, who saw off the eighth seed John Isner in three sets earlier today. This is Stepanek’s first Masters quarter-final since 2009, where he recorded his only victory against the Brit en route.
