Tennis: Murray battles back to down Rafa
Defending Japan Open champion denied title by world number four.
TOKYO:
A splendid display by Andy Murray saw the Briton battle back from a set down against defending champion Rafael Nadal in thrilling fashion at the Japan Open to claim his second consecutive title.
The world number four, fresh from winning last week’s Thailand Open, put an end to a five-match losing streak against Nadal with a 3-6, 6-2, 6-0 victory, dropping just four points in the final set.
He then came back to the centre court teaming up with his brother Jamie Murray to win the doubles title beating the Czech-Slovak pair of Frantisek Cermak and Filip Polasek 6-1, 6-4.
Murray later termed his week a ‘perfect’ one.
“It’s a very difficult thing to do,” he said. “But I’m happy to win both tournaments, winning with my brother makes it a perfect week.”
Murray made a slow start against world number two Nadal, dropping his opening service game to give the Spaniard an early advantage which he held onto to claim the first set.
But the 24-year-old found his serving range in the second set, raining down six aces and breaking his opponent twice before he stepped up another gear in the decider, allowing Nadal just four points as he swept to the title. Murray was understandably delighted at his excellent performance in the match.
“I played some great tennis,” he said. “There were a lot of close games towards the end of the first set and the beginning of the second. I didn’t give him many chances after that. It had to be some of the best tennis I played in the third set.”
Nadal admitted that Murray’s serve was ‘fantastic’ at crucial moments.
“His serve worked fantastic at important moments,” he said. “He played unbelievable, he made no mistakes in the third set and played aggressive, a lot of winners.”
Berdych ends title drought
Elsewhere, Tomas Berdych ended his title drought with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 victory over Marin Cilic at the China Open. Berdych, who last won a title in 2009, staged a second-set revival against the Croatian and blazed through the decider.
“I was really hanging in there,” said a relieved Berdych. “When I lost the first set, I knew I needed to play more aggressively.”
The world number 10’s errors played a part in the first set but he fought back, and took the match to a third set, which he won convincingly.
Meanwhile, Poland’s Agnieszka Radwañska upset world number 10 Andrea Petkovic 7-5, 0-6, 6-4 to win the women’s event in China to continue her great form.
The world number 20 won her second consecutive title after winning the Pan Pacific Open last week outplaying Petkovic who put up a good fight but fell short of upsetting Radwanska’s winning streak.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 10th, 2011.
A splendid display by Andy Murray saw the Briton battle back from a set down against defending champion Rafael Nadal in thrilling fashion at the Japan Open to claim his second consecutive title.
The world number four, fresh from winning last week’s Thailand Open, put an end to a five-match losing streak against Nadal with a 3-6, 6-2, 6-0 victory, dropping just four points in the final set.
He then came back to the centre court teaming up with his brother Jamie Murray to win the doubles title beating the Czech-Slovak pair of Frantisek Cermak and Filip Polasek 6-1, 6-4.
Murray later termed his week a ‘perfect’ one.
“It’s a very difficult thing to do,” he said. “But I’m happy to win both tournaments, winning with my brother makes it a perfect week.”
Murray made a slow start against world number two Nadal, dropping his opening service game to give the Spaniard an early advantage which he held onto to claim the first set.
But the 24-year-old found his serving range in the second set, raining down six aces and breaking his opponent twice before he stepped up another gear in the decider, allowing Nadal just four points as he swept to the title. Murray was understandably delighted at his excellent performance in the match.
“I played some great tennis,” he said. “There were a lot of close games towards the end of the first set and the beginning of the second. I didn’t give him many chances after that. It had to be some of the best tennis I played in the third set.”
Nadal admitted that Murray’s serve was ‘fantastic’ at crucial moments.
“His serve worked fantastic at important moments,” he said. “He played unbelievable, he made no mistakes in the third set and played aggressive, a lot of winners.”
Berdych ends title drought
Elsewhere, Tomas Berdych ended his title drought with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 victory over Marin Cilic at the China Open. Berdych, who last won a title in 2009, staged a second-set revival against the Croatian and blazed through the decider.
“I was really hanging in there,” said a relieved Berdych. “When I lost the first set, I knew I needed to play more aggressively.”
The world number 10’s errors played a part in the first set but he fought back, and took the match to a third set, which he won convincingly.
Meanwhile, Poland’s Agnieszka Radwañska upset world number 10 Andrea Petkovic 7-5, 0-6, 6-4 to win the women’s event in China to continue her great form.
The world number 20 won her second consecutive title after winning the Pan Pacific Open last week outplaying Petkovic who put up a good fight but fell short of upsetting Radwanska’s winning streak.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 10th, 2011.