Home Search Calendar Help Login Register
Did you miss your activation email?
MurraysWorld Discussions  >  Murray Community  >  News  >  Murray's touchpaper finally lights up O2 0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic. « previous next »
Pages: [1] 2 3 Go Down Reply
Author Topic: Murray's touchpaper finally lights up O2  (Read 2146 times)
Grabcopy
Top Seed
*
Posts: 5,612

Gender: Male
Location: Catatonia


I know I'm paranoid. But am I paranoid enough?
Murray's touchpaper finally lights up O2 « on: November 05, 2012, 04:35 PM »
 Reply
On Bonfire Night, Andy Murray’s blue touchpaper finally lit in a stuttering, faltering effort against world number six Tomas Berdych. The match, the first in the round-robin stages of the World Tour Finals at the O2, demonstrated the importance of the first serve, which the Scot finally found in set three, to run out a 3-6 6-3 6-4 winner.

This encounter was pretty much do or die, with the loser facing the prospect of a survival match against new world number one, Novak Djokovic, in the Boris Becker-styled “group of death”.

Murray began in fine style, sweeping away the first point of the match for a backhand service-return winner. It was a false dawn. With a first-serve strike rate of just 45% and a startling inability to convert numerous break points, the US Open champion conceded his serve at 2-3 amid a welter of lame netted forehands.

With the Czech star serving at 5-3, Murray again fought his way to break points, only to be denied by powerhouse serving and some stupendous drive volleys that will surely have made the Czech’s coach, Tomas Krupa, consider building in more net forays to their training plans. Berdych sealed the game with a swinging forehand out wide, leaving Murray to reflect on six unconverted break points and 11 unforced forehand errors.

Read more (245 words)
Set two was a mirror image of the first, with Murray finally taking Berdych’s serve on his tenth break point of the match to lead 3-1. The Scot was now playing on his own terms, outmanoeuvring Berdych like a cat dancing around a Panzer tank.

The British number one continued to swing Berdych wide and pull him in short, turning the big Czech inside out with hitting that was by turns wide and deep, then teasing and short. The Scot served out at 5-3 to set up a must-win, one-set shootout that would surely decide the fate of both men at this tournament.

Murray fans needn’t have worried. The Scot’s first serve came alive in spectacular fashion, with a flurry of service winners and aces and an astonishing 100% first-serve success rate. Murray broke at 2-1, moving the match sweetly from heavy artillery to pomp and artistry.

From here, the world number three never looked in serious trouble, although a double-fault stumble at 5-4, 40-15 when serving out the match reminded fans of his recent difficulties in converting match points. Obligingly, though, Berdych settled the crowd’s nerves with a weak netted backhand at 40-30 and Murray was punching the air in delight, knowing that his qualification was half achieved.

Murray has a strong record against Tsonga. However, he’ll be motivated to go all-out against Djokovic, too, to try to remove him from the tournament – and rack up another 200 precious ranking points into the bargain.
[ Last edit by Mark November 12, 2012, 04:43 PM ] IP Logged
TheMadHatter
Veteran
*
Posts: 8,986

Gender: Male
Location: Bristol
Re: Murray’s touchpaper finally lights up O2 « Reply #1 on: November 05, 2012, 04:40 PM »
 Reply
Massive result this. Started slow but from 1-1 second set he found some of his best stuff. Serving was brilliant in that final set, never gave Berdych a chance to fight back.

Who does he face next - is it the winner or loser of the other tie?
IP Logged
Emma Jean
Veteran
******
Posts: 7,952

Gender: Female
Location: Toronto, Canada


I am the Queen of the World
Re: Murray’s touchpaper finally lights up O2 « Reply #2 on: November 05, 2012, 05:04 PM »
 Reply
Missed a lot of opportunities in the first set though. That was a bit sad to see though Berdych served really well when he was down a couple of times. Gutsy performance by Berdych, but greater performance by Andy to come through, especially after losing the first set to one of his biggest rivals in a big tournament like this one.
[ Last edit by Emma Jean November 05, 2012, 05:12 PM ] IP Logged
Sabine
Top Seed
*****
Posts: 5,680

Gender: Female


You mesmerize me, Andy
Re: Murray's touchpaper finally lights up O2 « Reply #3 on: November 05, 2012, 05:04 PM »
 Reply
So relieved he won it...Phew!
IP Logged
Ruthie
Top Seed
*****
Posts: 5,938

Gender: Female
Location: East Midlands


Touch the sky - and touch it he did.
Re: Murray's touchpaper finally lights up O2 « Reply #4 on: November 05, 2012, 05:06 PM »
 Reply
Good to see Andy work his way into a tough match against a tough component.  I'm hoping that work out will set him up well for the other matches given he came in with so few competitive matches under his belt since Shanghai.
I think he faces the winner of the other tie, someone said on another thread over the w/e and that's certainly what happened 2 years ago.
IP Logged
Sabine
Top Seed
*****
Posts: 5,680

Gender: Female


You mesmerize me, Andy
Re: Murray's touchpaper finally lights up O2 « Reply #5 on: November 05, 2012, 05:06 PM »
 Reply
The main problem was the break points....that was really poor.
But the main thing is that he was able to come back and that is what is more important..
IP Logged
Ruthie
Top Seed
*****
Posts: 5,938

Gender: Female
Location: East Midlands


Touch the sky - and touch it he did.
Re: Murray's touchpaper finally lights up O2 « Reply #6 on: November 05, 2012, 05:07 PM »
 Reply
well on the whole I think it was more a case of Birdy winning those break points than Andy losing them . Birdy's serve was really on song in that opening set once he'd settled into the match.
IP Logged
Alis
ATP Level
***
Posts: 2,142

Gender: Female
Location: Southern Hebrides
Re: Murray's touchpaper finally lights up O2 « Reply #7 on: November 05, 2012, 05:13 PM »
 Reply
Quote from: Ruthie on November 05, 2012, 05:07 PM
well on the whole I think it was more a case of Birdy winning those break points than Andy losing them . Birdy's serve was really on song in that opening set once he'd settled into the match.

I agree Ruthie - on many of those break points Berdych served so well that there was nothing Andy could do.  It must have been incredibly frustrating!
IP Logged
boogers
Veteran
*
Posts: 8,709

Gender: Male
Location: Sussex


Touched by his noodly appendage
Re: Murray's touchpaper finally lights up O2 « Reply #8 on: November 05, 2012, 05:13 PM »
 Reply
A win is a win... one more and progression should be safe.
IP Logged
scotnadian
Veteran
******
Posts: 8,404

Gender: Female
Location: Toronto, Canada (ex Aberdeen, Scotland)


You ain't seen nothing yet...
Re: Murray's touchpaper finally lights up O2 « Reply #9 on: November 05, 2012, 05:13 PM »
 Reply
That was some intense stuff.

Berdych came out with a masterplan and a bionic serve, but Andy returned like The Terminator in the 2nd, and entrenched himself deeply with a will to win in the 3rd.

Congrats to Andy, and here's to the next match. clap
IP Logged
Emma Jean
Veteran
******
Posts: 7,952

Gender: Female
Location: Toronto, Canada


I am the Queen of the World
Re: Murray's touchpaper finally lights up O2 « Reply #10 on: November 05, 2012, 05:16 PM »
 Reply
Berdych's serves were compromised at the Open so first thing he made sure this time he served very, very well.
IP Logged
michelle
ATP Level
***
Posts: 2,666

Gender: Female
Location: Taunton Somerset
Re: Murray's touchpaper finally lights up O2 « Reply #11 on: November 05, 2012, 05:20 PM »
 Reply
Really enjoyed reading the match report, real poetry, and summed up the match to perfection. Andy showed his fighting spirit despite a slow start against an inspired opponent. Andy will feel more confident in his next match and I believe that he can beat Nole if that is who he will face. Nole has to beat Tsonga. It will depend where Nole's mind is re his Father and his illness.
IP Logged
Mackem
Satellite Level
**
Posts: 390

Gender: Male
Location: Merseyside
Re: Murray's touchpaper finally lights up O2 « Reply #12 on: November 05, 2012, 05:29 PM »
 Reply
Quote from: Emma Jean on November 05, 2012, 05:16 PM
Berdych's serves were compromised at the Open so first thing he made sure this time he served very, very well.
He especially served well when facing break points.  But what else does he have? Answer, nothing.
IP Logged
Tessie
RTR Organiser
Challenger Level
**
Posts: 1,338

Gender: Female
Location: The South
Re: Murray's touchpaper finally lights up O2 « Reply #13 on: November 05, 2012, 05:35 PM »
 Reply
I was VERY disappointed with the crowds reaction when Andy came out on court and it was frankly a bit pathetic the whole way through.  Good job Andy. 
IP Logged
Mackem
Satellite Level
**
Posts: 390

Gender: Male
Location: Merseyside
Re: Murray's touchpaper finally lights up O2 « Reply #14 on: November 05, 2012, 05:38 PM »
 Reply
I sensed a lot of tension and uncertainty.  Might have been different if Andy had converted some break points and won the 1st Set.  But, yeah, it was quiet for sure.  If I'd been there I'd have started a bit of cheerleading!
IP Logged
Pages: [1] 2 3 Go Up Reply 
MurraysWorld Discussions  >  Murray Community  >  News  >  Murray's touchpaper finally lights up O2
 « previous next »

Powered by SMF | SMF © 2006, Simple Machines
Page created in 0.1 seconds with 26 queries. (Pretty URLs adds 0.017s, 2q)