A resilient Andy Murray went out of the Swiss Indoors tournament after being defeated by Fernando Gonzalez who had to play at his best to beat the tough Scot 6-4 3-6 6-1. Both players were on top form and provided huge entertainment for the excited Swiss crowd with Murray showing great mental strength but eventually looking tired in the final set.  

MurraysWorld reporter, Kundalini, said:
Read Kundalini's full match analysis here.

- Full Story (bbc.co.uk)  

Related Audio/Video:
- BBC Interview: Andy Murray
- BBC Interview: John McEnroe

Related:
- MW Gallery: Davidoff Swiss (20 new)
- Swiss Indoors Basel - Official Website
- Latest Results / Draw

Same time next year, he will win these matches and he will still be only 19!

Match Analysis

In a high quality match, Andy's counterattacking style had little answer to the relentless, and at times outrageous, all out attack from Fernando Gonzalez.

Gonzalez's smart use of his huge forehand, striking it wide to the Murray backhand was the key to the match. Andy hits powerfully with his double-handed backhand but when stretched wide he takes one hand off the raquet and floats the ball back, often angling short shots that draw his opponent to the net.

This time Gonzalez was ready and would move forward in anticipation after every fierce forehand hit wide to Andy's backhand. It simply wasn't a contest. The floating defensive shot from Murray would be put away with ease.

For once Andy's returns of serve were not up to his usual standard. He had little joy returning the huge first serve, and surprisingly, struggled to get his return of the second serve in play. Gonzalez lost very few points on serve apart from the odd double fault, and his service games were often over in a flash.

The Murray drop shot that had won numerous points against Tomas Berdych was ineffective against Gonzalez, whose own drop shot was done to perfection. Of a dozen points featuring the shot from one or other of the players, Andy won just a single point.

Faced by such an attacking player Andy needed to serve well. On a fast indoor court a single break of serve is usually enough to win the set, placing huge importance on the quality and consistency of the serving. Though his first serve percentage was up on recent matches at just over 55%, it was evident that he was reducing the pace of many first serves in order to protect his vulnerable second serve. Over the course of the match this formula simply didn't add up. Andy's first serve gained fewer cheap points and Gonzalez got to take a swing at a large number of inviting second serves that weren't kicked wide enough, or hit hard enough to trouble him.

While Andy's performance was an improvement on his earlier matches against Henman and Berdych, against an opponent on form there was too little margin for error and a handful of careless shots were enough to lose him the match. Looking back, an easy smash placed just wide at 30-30 on the Gonzalez serve early in the match was more significant than it seemed at the time.  

A wonderful match to watch featuring breathtaking shotmaking from Gonzalez, but one that highlighted some of the weaknesses in Andy's game.  Fernando Gonzalez was superb on the day, and it took a great effort from Murray to win the second set, saving eight break points in a period of outstanding tennis at the beginning of the set. Sadly, his serve let him down at the start of the third set and the Gonzalez ran away with the victory.

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/llama.php

and to cheer us all up after the loss.....

heres a llama theres a llama and another little llama fuzzy llama funny llama llama llama DUCK!!

lol the joys of uni procrastination

i was once a treehouse, i lived in a cake, but i never saw the way the orange slew the rake.....

pure genius, i'm telling you, pure genius.

i know!! lol again, i've gone through 100 posts in about two weeks.....not gooooood.....procrastination is BAD. BAD i tell you BAD BAD BAD.

Not if you read the Sun  
He'll be 22 by the start of the Aus Open if they carry on with their crap reporting.

   I hasten to add I never buy the rag. just read online....I have my credibility on the line here!!!  


Congrats on your promotion eira. Good stuff.


Does anyone know if heavenly_angel is going to post again? I miss her.  :Lurking:

Have just got back from Cyprus and managed to get Sky sorted in time for the Gonzales match.  I didn't see the Berdych match but Mum videoed the Henman match.  From the Gonzales match I thought Andy played well but Gonzales was just too good.  I thibk he would have given Fed a good game.  Love the llama song    :thx: