Australian Open - Magnificent Murray mauls Melzer

Eurosport - Sun, 25 Jan 16:04:00 2009

Andy Murray removed any doubts he was not a serious contender for the Australian Open title with a clinical 7-5 6-0 6-3 third-round demolition of Austria's Juergen Melzer.

Andy Murray, Australian Open 2009 - 0

The fourth-seed showed all of the composure, shot making and court coverage that has propelled him into the world's top four and made him one of the pre-tournament favourites.

"I thought I hit the ball really, really well," Murray said. "I took a lot of my chances. I made him do a lot of running and was very confident from the second set onwards."

The 21-year-old has already beaten Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer on hardcourts in the past month and his confidence was no more evident when he sealed the second set with a nonchalant volley into the open court and continued walking to his chair.

Murray, who was taken to five sets by Melzer at the US Open last year, gave the Austrian no chance to repeat the experience with clever use of angles, audacious chips and drop shots and varying the pace of his returns.

"I just felt more confident going into the match," Murray said of his feeling before he went into the third round clash.

"I knew if I played well I felt like I could go on to win in three sets if I grabbed the first set.

"He's one of those guys that, when he's behind, he's dangerous because he doesn't think a whole lot.

"I think when it starts to get close against him and he starts thinking is when he starts to make more mistakes, like at the end of the first set.

"But when he gets ahead, you know, he can start serving well and he can get confident. The start was very important.

"I do think I played much better today than at the U.S. Open."

The victory secured a fourth round clash with Spain's 14th seed Fernando Verdasco, who thrashed Radek Stepanek 6-4 6-0 6-0.

"I haven't really seen a whole lot of his match," Murray said of the Spanish left hander.

"I think Stepanek, I don't know if he had something wrong with him or not, but he didn't look like he was particularly interested.

"Against Verdasco, I really have to use my head.

"I have a very good record against left handers. The only one I've lost to on the tour has been Nadal.

"I need to use my head, make him do a lot of thinking and moving (and) if I play like I did tonight, I can definitely win that one."

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Reuters

Comment 32 - 51 of 91

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  1. 56 ARVIE WE CAN USE WHAT LETTERS WE LIKE YOU MORON. YOU ARE YOU TO TELL US WHAT TO DO.

    From AJ, on Sat 24 Jan 4:52PM

  2. Why the hell do some morons use capital letters to post messages?

    From Arvie, on Sat 24 Jan 4:42PM

  3. WILL WE SEE MURRAY BEAT VERDASCO I DON'T KNOW SHOULD BE A GOOD MATCH. I THINK MURRAY LEADS THEIR HEAD TO HEAD THOUGH.

    From AJ, on Sat 24 Jan 4:27PM

  4. speter,Verdasco is in good form at the moment,due in no small measure to him winning the deciding rubber for Spain in the davis cup,but he will need to be against Murray.Murray holds a 5-0 head to head with Verdasco,and has only dropped the one set to the Spaniard.Expect nothing but a Murray win here,there is something about Murrays game that Verdasco doesn't like,so could be in straight sets.

    From carlos480bc, on Sat 24 Jan 4:26PM

  5. Catalina made a good point (no.50) - Verdasco has only lost 12 games so far! Who is near this? The man may be in a hell of a good form or simply hates spending time on court ;) Lost only 4 games (followed by two bagels) to Stepanek, one of Roger's "nemeses" . Worth a note even if he may not make it a lot further. Wishing good luck to him.

    From Simon, on Sat 24 Jan 4:01PM

  6. just stop and think...nobody is saying that A Murray will beat every player he plays...or never lose a set..or absolutely anialate each opponent...the guy is only human ...but whether some of you tw--- like it or not...he is BRITISH and flying a bloomin good flag for us.....just be happy we have a good ranking player there for us..if he wasn't there at the moment...who do we have of the same calibre ???....
    I rest my case....

    From getalife, on Sat 24 Jan 3:42PM

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    From , on Sat 24 Jan 3:39PM

  8. Well, since eurosport uk doesn't say anything about it, let me say it: Verdasco beat Stepanek 6-4, 6-0, 6-0. And what did your commentators say?: maybe Stepanek was injured. Oh, la, la. If Murray got a 6-0, 6-0 against anyone, they would have say that he was magnificent, formidable, intoxicating. McFluffy, you stink.

    From catalina, on Sat 24 Jan 3:26PM

  9. Well played Murray nice to see you conserving you energy for the stronger players to come.Will be fun watching you defend your title next year..........
    Alison.

    From Nicholas, on Sat 24 Jan 3:07PM

  10. Murray's very consistent, though, it's so boring to watch him play tennis. I am a Federer fan, but I really like Nadal, but Murray couldn't really inmpress me. Also, he always looks with a face like: ''O god, i've got to @#$% now''.
    Later

    From cas.hofstee, on Sat 24 Jan 2:56PM

  11. The fact that he played on the Hisense, when the Rod Laver hosted a low quality, error strewn Sam-Dementieva clash speaks volumes about his game. Its flat and boring; for a large measure mechanical, no ingenuity or innovativeness

    Watch nadal attack with inside in-out high speed revolving top spin. The angles on the backhand; the sneaking in to dispatch deft volleys, excellent court coverage and the embarrassing passes and great passion; the you will appreciate Tennis

    Murray....better off hitting the ball as hard as he can, (till he runs into a wall the block them back with venom, a deafening scream and ankle twisting angles) coz whenever he talks-its all trash

    I hear i have to use my HEAD; damn like you haven't used it before and been clobbered

    Someone teach that little insolent brat how to address the pre and post match interviews

    He can't continue like this

    Murray will never win a grand slam....but he can be a spoiler for Nadal or Roger

    I wait to be proven wrong

    From hosmakus, on Sat 24 Jan 2:54PM

  12. its obvious to me now that english love losers and hate winners. boxing,loved naz khan hatton, hate lewis calzaghe, tennis loved tim hate murray. i guess there so used to losers, look at their footy team for christ sakes, english make me sick, well done andy

    From kevin.odonnell71, on Sat 24 Jan 2:53PM

  13. Murray is playing really well since the beginnig of the season... but Verdasco is on a hot streak too. It will far from easy for Murray in the next round... A five-setter wouldn't surprise me

    From teapsky, on Sat 24 Jan 2:48PM

  14. If you all hate Murray so much, why are you reading stories about him and then posting comments. If I hated someone so much that I would post comments like that, I would just ignore anything to do with that person. Not come on here moaning and @#$% about someone who does not give a flying f**k what you think of him.

    From redimaster, on Sat 24 Jan 2:10PM

  15. most of you who post comments are just plain a**e h***s, so what if murray is a scot, im english and proud to be, just like murray is a scot and proud to be, but we are all british so we should support him, did anybody hate lennox lewis for being canadian, NO , he fought under the union flag so we supported him, in cricket kevin pieterson was born a south african, did we hate him NO, the reason for that is cos they are good, so is murray so get behind him people, nuff said

    From christopher m, on Sat 24 Jan 1:56PM

  16. It is so sad to read the comments about Andy Murray from the English.
    Henman was your God and never won anything Andy is British even if he dosent want to be and is so much superior than anything that ever came out of England.
    Keep it up Andy at least the Irish respect you

    From martinr, on Sat 24 Jan 1:53PM

  17. think your handle is like your mouth.....biggy ......I reckon you should go over some statistics and see just whom Murray has already beaten....and could you not just be happy to see us Brits doing well.....come on...change your attitude please....

    From getalife, on Sat 24 Jan 1:50PM

  18. Comment 9, get your facts right. He made that comment jokingly when he was being teased about Scotland not being in the World Cup. He has an English girlfriend and an English coach. Andy does not hate the English, although with idiots like you mouthing off, one could hardly blame him if he did.

    From Bobito, on Sat 24 Jan 1:49PM

  19. well murray is a good player...I don't like him and I want to loose soon...Come on roger!!!!! Come on...u are the best baby...love roger federer

    From monik_smiley_original, on Sat 24 Jan 1:49PM

  20. marrei53

    hi not all english and like this some even hate england and them selves :/

    i wish this lad all the luck in the world with what he has done and will do

    am from liverpool mums from fmaily are from ireland and me dads dad was a scot

    so tend to get a lot of abuse for being from liverpool and so on

    one thing that gets to me about this site is all the **** thats put about stuff thats has nothing to do with the sport if it be football ,F1 or tennis there is a lot of hate about and so much @#$%

    Good luck andy

    From kenneth h, on Sat 24 Jan 1:49PM
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