Murray calls time on 2018 after Verdasco loss
By Nigel Graber for MurraysWorld.com on September 28, 2018, 07:06 pm
Andy Murray has called time on his 2018 season after bowing out of the Shenzhen Open to Fernando Verdasco. The Scot lost his quarter-final today, 6-4 6-4.
Murray has competed in just half a dozen tournaments since Wimbledon 2017, while enduring a testing comeback from hip surgery.
Against this stop-start background, the Scot's post-match announcement that he was pulling out of next week’s China Open in Beijing came as a surprise to no one, albeit with an ankle issue.
The 31 year old will take some positives from his time in China, chiefly his defeat of world number 11 David Goffin. Today, though, he simply squandered too many opportunities against a player who played clinically at key moments and launched 11 unreturnable serves.
The Brit converted on just one of six break points and was once again taken to the cleaners on his second serve, one aspect of his game that hasn’t shown up in 2018.
Murray and his Spanish opponent both broke early in the first set, but Verdasco saved two break points to hold for 4-4, then broke Murray and served out convincingly.
The Spaniard took Murray’s serve once again early in the second and defended his own delivery with aplomb, wrapping things up with a blistering ace.
Verdasco now faces Japanese qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka in the semi-finals. For Murray, four further solid months of rehabilitation lie ahead, before he re-emerges in Australia in January.
Murray has competed in just half a dozen tournaments since Wimbledon 2017, while enduring a testing comeback from hip surgery.
Against this stop-start background, the Scot's post-match announcement that he was pulling out of next week’s China Open in Beijing came as a surprise to no one, albeit with an ankle issue.
The 31 year old will take some positives from his time in China, chiefly his defeat of world number 11 David Goffin. Today, though, he simply squandered too many opportunities against a player who played clinically at key moments and launched 11 unreturnable serves.
The Brit converted on just one of six break points and was once again taken to the cleaners on his second serve, one aspect of his game that hasn’t shown up in 2018.
Murray and his Spanish opponent both broke early in the first set, but Verdasco saved two break points to hold for 4-4, then broke Murray and served out convincingly.
The Spaniard took Murray’s serve once again early in the second and defended his own delivery with aplomb, wrapping things up with a blistering ace.
Verdasco now faces Japanese qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka in the semi-finals. For Murray, four further solid months of rehabilitation lie ahead, before he re-emerges in Australia in January.
add comment | 8 comments
Thanks for the report Nigel. I'd a feeling when Andy got to the QF that that would probably be enough for him, ankle issue or not, and nor did I expect him to beat an in-form Verdasco anyway. As you say though, there are still positives to be taken from this tournament, particularly his solid performance against Goffin. Also I was good to see him moving around the court without any obvious signs of a hip problem, so hopefully three months more of what he calls 'reconditioning and hard training' will see him back to where he wants to be.
September 28, 2018, 07:56 pm
By Aileen
By Aileen
Oh no. This is sad news. Really hoping the ankle issue will not impact on his forthcoming training plans....
Have to admit I'm finding it hard to see how he can be ready to do himself justice for Australia in the New Year - even if his training has gone well, we'll be back into the vicious circle of him not being match fit. Feeling pretty depressed all round.
Have to admit I'm finding it hard to see how he can be ready to do himself justice for Australia in the New Year - even if his training has gone well, we'll be back into the vicious circle of him not being match fit. Feeling pretty depressed all round.
September 28, 2018, 08:53 pm
By matchpoint
By matchpoint
Bloody hell. What next? Feeling so sad for him. What horrible luck he's having.
September 28, 2018, 08:54 pm
By blueberryhill
By blueberryhill
Oh no. This is sad news. Really hoping the ankle issue will not impact on his forthcoming training plans....
The ankle issued was said to be 'a minor one', so that being the case it shouldn't affect his training plans unduly. The question really being, as you say, whether or not he can get back to where he wants to be by January. September 28, 2018, 08:57 pm
By Aileen
By Aileen
Thanks Nigel for the report. So wanted Andy to beat Verdasco. Surprised to hear that Andy hurt his ankle as having ankle braces on that thought that wouldn't happen.
September 29, 2018, 08:31 am
By ChrisMac
By ChrisMac
^ mention made of AO as his next tournament. Will he have a protected entry option still?
September 29, 2018, 12:59 pm
By marathonarthur
By marathonarthur
^ mention made of AO as his next tournament. Will he have a protected entry option still?
Hopefully someone else will be able to answer your query as regards his 'protected entry option' marathonarthur.
According to Stuart Fraser in today's Times, Andy is due to start next season playing in Brisbane - and he reckons Andy will end this year ranked about 260. Don't know how accurate these facts are.
September 29, 2018, 07:15 pm
By matchpoint
By matchpoint
Thanks Nigel - looking forward to 2019.
September 30, 2018, 05:15 am
By moonglow
By moonglow