ATP Tour - Murray extends run over Federer

Eurosport - Sat, 03 Jan 13:12:00 2009

Andy Murray recovered from a set down to beat world number two Roger Federer 4-6 6-2 7-6 (8) in the semi-finals of the World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi.

TENNIS 2009 Andy Murray from Britain returns the ball to James Blake from the United States during the first day of Capitala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi - 0

The world number four has now won three successive matches over Federer since losing in straight sets in the US Open final last September - extending his winning record over the Swiss to 5-2.

"It's always a challenge playing Roger," said Murray. "I've got the better of him on a few occasions, but in the big one we played, at the US Open final, he beat me pretty badly.

"Hopefully, I'll get him in a Grand Slam [again] one day.

"It would be nice to become the number one player in the world, but my aim for 2009 is to win a Grand Slam event, and I feel the Australian Open is my best chance.

"So this is a really nice preparation for that."

Murray will now face world number one Rafael Nadal in the final after the Spaniard came through his clash with Nikolay Davydenko 6-2 6-3.

Murray made a slow start to the match, dropping his serve in just the second game and allowing Federer to race into a 3-0 lead.

But he quickly found his composure, breaking back in the fifth game, whipping a forehand across court at an acute angle to deny Federer a game point before sealing the break by placing a drop shot right at the feet of his opponent.

Murray could not stick with Federer though and the world number two broke the Scot's serve again to steal the first set on a double fault.

But as is so often the case when Murray faces Federer, the 21-year-old recovered quickly from dropping the opening set and immediately took the lead in the second set.

Murray broke in the first and third games on his way to a 4-0 lead before Federer could finally get on the scoreboard.

Federer did manage to get one of the breaks back, in the seventh game, when Murray double faulted; however he dropped his serve again in the next game, throwing in a double fault of his own as well as a couple of backhand errors and a wild forehand across court.

Murray quickly levelled up the match, serving out the set after an hour and two minutes.

The start of the third set was all Murray as Federer lost concentration and dropped his serve in the third and fifth games to leave the Scot leading 4-1.

But a mistimed jump to a straightforward overhead forehand in the sixth game seemed to unsettle Murray as, despite laughing about it with the crowd, he dropped his serve in that game when Federer found a forehand volley winner. He then dropped another in the eighth when he slapped a forehand long of the baseline.

Two holds apiece later and the match went to a tie-break. Despite taking the first two points, two forehand errors in quick succession from Federer, combined with an ace out wide from Murray, allowed the Scot to take a 4-2 mini-break lead.

Another two forehand errors shortly after the change of ends from Federer gifted Murray three match points.

The first went begging when Murray hit wide off the forehand side before Federer saved the second and third, with a stunning forehand deep into his opponent's backhand corner and an easy forehand volley respectively.

But it was the forehand that let Federer down once again as he slapped wide to hand Murray a fourth match point before hitting long to concede the match.

In the other semi-final Davydenko got off to a great start, breaking Nadal in the opening game to love. But the Spaniard quickly recovered and dominated the rest of the set.

The second set went in much the same fashion, with Nadal dropping his opening service game before bouncing back to dominate.

Pippa Davis / Eurosport

Comment 67 - 86 of 86

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  1. BRAVO ANDY!!! Nadal is a great player, but Andy found­ his play, and I can't wait the begining of the­ tennis year; it will be something.

    From mira, on Sat 3 Jan 4:17PM

  2. could some of you people cut federer some­ slack,afterall the guy has won all the slams except the­ french, and he has won them more than once, let us see­ if Murray or the others following Federer can do­ likewise, Nadal is the closest to him and I dont hear­ much about his achievements, Federer had an illness­ last year that most of the naysayers would be in their­ bed feeling sorrow for themselves, and he did not use­ it for an excuse for his losses,but I'm sure it­ contributed to same, you go Federer

    From bridgetf, on Sat 3 Jan 3:31PM

  3. What Andy Murray needs is to win a Grand Slam because­ no matter how many Tour matches he wins he wont be­ considered as a great tennis player.Unfortunately great­ tennis player wins Grand Slam,good tennis player wins­ tour events.If Andy Murray continue
    in this excellent­ form and avoid any injuries i think he will eventually­ win a Grand Slam...good luck to him.

    From gio, on Sat 3 Jan 2:18PM

  4. Bravo Andy! Nadal and Andy - that will be quite a­ match! Super, it is very interesting at the top of­ ATP-that will make this tennis year superb!

    From mira, on Sat 3 Jan 12:44PM

  5. Murray is going to do really well this season if u­ watched the match against Federer u can see Andy's­ class, he mixes up his shots really well and when he­ hits out hes just as dominate as Federer or Nadal, also­ he has a bomb serve which hits 130mph+ when he gets it­ in and has a decent volley not to mention hes probably­ the second fastest player behind Nadal. Dont hate him,­ in fact if u watch him play u cant hate him hes­ absolutely amazing atm.

    From zehst, on Sat 3 Jan 12:34PM

  6. Sorry JOHN G (comment 78), comment below is actually­ directed at the muppet demy1bullet (comment 77)

    From King Duri, on Sat 3 Jan 12:19PM

  7. A MURRAY VS RAFA FINAL THE BEST WILL WIN.GOOD LUCK TO­ BOTH MEN.
    ALISON.

    From AJ, on Sat 3 Jan 12:12PM

  8. @78,
    What exactly is your point? Is it that Murray is­ getting more mention than Nadal? Or that Murray is a­ mediocre tennis player? I can only sense deep seething­ bitterness and frustration in you. Look at the top of­ this web page, it says Eurosports Uk. If you're­ hungry for reading about Nadal then go to Eurosport­ Espana where the whole tennis section is dedicated to­ Nadal. Murray is fast becoming a British Tennis legend­ and no matter what saddists like you say sport loving­ UK citizens will always appreciate Murray's skills­ and power on the court.

    From Mega-Crazy, on Sat 3 Jan 12:06PM

  9. get a grip all of you, and get a life , murray is a­ great tennis player , he is 4 in the world , he has got­ to a grand slam final at his young age , he is a better­ player than greg or tim was at his age , he will only­ get better and he will win a grand slam in the near­ future .

    From JOHN G, on Sat 3 Jan 11:54AM

  10. This is appalling behaviour by Eurosport. Every single­ accounment was made on your webpages regarding the­ Murray/Fed match. Nothing was said about the Nadal­ Match. Merray won, and his pics were posted all day.­ There was not a single complaete article regarding the­ Nadal Match!! There were only few paragraphys in the­ Marray match regarding Nadals Win.
    I am a Tennis fan­ and British. Marray is the last tennis player i want to­ hear about.Who in Gods name is he, What has he done for­ the sport?Comapre him to his peers, Nadal, and Djo, and­ compare their records!!You like to give publicity to­ medicore Sports people. here we are on Sat, and still­ nothing about the Nadal game. Your bias is too evident,­ and it stinks

    From demy1bullet, on Sat 3 Jan 11:43AM
  11. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    ALL ENGLISH FOOTBALL
    PREMIER LEAGUE – FA CUP – CARLING­ CUP
    CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – UEFA CUP

    ALL MATCHES ON WEB: ­ PREMIER LEAGUE, FA CUP, CHAMPIONSHIP, LIGA, SERIE A,­ BUNDESLIGA, CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - UEFA CUP AND MUCH MORE
    ­
    ALL THE HIGH-LIGHTS OF PREMIER LEAGUE MATCHES

    From , on Sat 3 Jan 11:36AM

  12. Frances the question you are raising is valid.­ Unfortunately, you will never get an answer. I wrote a­ couple of times to Eurosport that their international­ version of the site is actually the UK and Ireland one­ news from a hundred related not to cricket, rugby,­ Murry or Lewis Hamilton

    Their answer can be - go to­ the local sites and use google bar's translation­ function if you want to understand something about­ Nadal,German basketball or French football but that­ still does not give you a real European site.

    And yes.­ Tennis is not equal to Murray's games

    From karl_sebastian, on Sat 3 Jan 11:26AM

  13. Before you all write Federer off completely,remember­ that last year he had glandular fever,the same illness­ that Mario Ancic had and it kept Ancic off the tour for­ six months.Anyone who has had this serious illness will­ understand what a magnificent achievment it was for­ Federer to win the US and make the final of the French­ and Wimbledon,oh and throw in an olyimpic doubles gold­ !Keep things in perspective people

    From carlos480bc, on Sat 3 Jan 10:50AM

  14. Eurosport fails yet again!!! The match that was put on­ air as a matchcast was with Murray (he remains, to my­ mind, a "miserable git") yet the same­ courtesy was not extended to Nadal nor his fans. Is­ Nadal not world 1 at this point? And do tennis fans not­ deserve to get the news/articles etc. about him and the­ greater tennis world? Shift the focus from Murray until­ he has earned it. Frances Sawaya, Co. Cavan Ireland

    From franzee55, on Sat 3 Jan 10:43AM

  15. Eurosport fails yet again!!! The match that was put on­ air as a matchcast was with Murray (he remains, to my­ mind, a "miserable git") yet the same­ courtesy was not extended to Nadal nor his fans. Is­ Nadal not world 1 at this point? And do tennis fans not­ deserve to get the news/articles etc. about him and the­ greater tennis world? Shift the focus from Murray until­ he has earned it. Frances Sawaya, Co. Cavan Ireland

    From franzee55, on Sat 3 Jan 10:42AM

  16. oi donught !! read it ... he is sweaty sock !!

    From lee, on Sat 3 Jan 9:01AM

  17. Well done murray. I dont watch tennis a lot but is­ Murray English?

    From Nath, on Sat 3 Jan 7:59AM

  18. Roger Federer knows he is on the threshold of being the­ greatest tennis player ever. He is just treating the­ other tour events as his pre-warm up for the grand­ slam.If Murray plays Federer in a Slam Final or Semi,­ i`ll beat any money that he will not beat Roger­ Federer.

    From gio, on Sat 3 Jan 7:25AM

  19. I have met Murray and feel he has momentum on his­ side, lets see him shake things up a bit!

    From Trent S, on Sat 3 Jan 7:22AM
  20. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Nadal will dominate No.1 and Murray No.2, Federer is­ getting older and he cant play great tennis already,­ now he is no 2 later he will dropped down to No.3 and­ by year end is no.9. He will not win any G.Slam but­ give him a few ATPs to win.

    From bbardrin, on Sat 3 Jan 6:56AM
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