Murray finished with six aces in a centre court match that lasted just one minute shy of two hours. PHOTO: AFP
MIAMI:
Former winner Andy Murray was looking forward to his meeting with third-seed David Ferrer in the final of the Miami Masters today after rallying from an opening-set loss.
Last year’s runner-up and 2009 winner Murray lost the opening set in a tiebreaker before beating Frenchman Richard Gasquet 6-7 (3/7), 6-1, 6-2 in the semi-final. Spaniard Ferrer ended German veteran Tommy Haas’ giant-killing run with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory to book his place in the final.
“I could have made it easier on myself,” said Murray. “I could have played a better game when I was serving for the first set, but I didn’t. I responded well and obviously Gasquet struggled in the third set with his movement. I just had to take care of my own side of the net. I did a good job of that.”
Murray, who is the lone British champion in the history of the Miami event, has beaten Ferrer in six out of 11 career matches, winning five of the last seven.
Ferrer has only beaten the 26-year-old Scot once on a non-clay surface and that was at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in 2011.
“It is going to be a tough match. He is an unbelievable competitor. We train a lot together so we know each other’s games well so there should be a lot of long rallies.”
Meanwhile, a determined Ferrer twice rallied from a break down in the third set to end the giant-killing run of 15th-seeded Haas, who stunned world number one Novak Djokovic in the fourth round.
“I am in the final and I am very happy for that,” said Ferrer. “I will try to do my best to win.”
Ferrer added that his service game will be the key against Murray.
“I will have to do everything good. I will have to improve my first serve, to play obviously with my forehand for sure to beat him.”
Published in The Express Tribune, March 31st, 2013.
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