Murray sets up Djokovic clash in final

Scot beats Federer in Shanghai Masters semi-final.


Afp October 13, 2012

SHANGHAI:


Andy Murray heaped the misery on Roger Federer yesterday, taking advantage of an astonishing service meltdown by the Swiss great to set up a mouthwatering final against Novak Djokovic.


The US Open champion, who has never been beaten at the Chinese tournament, won 6-4, 6-4, repeating his victory in the Olympic final that came after the searing pain of defeat to Federer just weeks earlier at Wimbledon. The pair swapped breaks at the start of the match but the first set hinged on an incredible fifth game when 17-time Grand Slam champion Federer was broken to love after the normally ice-cool Swiss double-faulted three times in a row.

Third seed Murray, who won the Shanghai Masters in 2010 and 2011, immediately put the world number one under the cosh at the start of the second set but the Swiss dug deep to save seven break points and edge ahead. But Federer, 31, continued to struggle and Murray wrapped up the match in the second set.

Earlier, in-form Djokovic accelerated his push for the year-end number one ranking, dismissing the challenge of fourth seed Tomas Berdych 6-3, 6-4 in a one-sided match.

“I played tactically right,” said Djokovic. “I was putting a lot of returns into the court, making a lot of pressure on his serve. On the other hand, I was serving well when I needed to.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 14th, 2012.

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