Tennis: Andy Murray Through To Third Round At Australian Open
January 23rd 2009 07:09
ANDY Murray insisted he was still an Australian Open favourite after dominating Spain's Marcel Granollers to reach the third round on Thursday.
The No 4 seed, whose first match was cut short when Andrei Pavel retired hurt, won 6-4 6-2 6-2 to stay on course for a semi-final with world No.1 Rafael Nadal.
Afterwards, Murray hit back at Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, the No 2 and No 3 seeds, who have questioned his status as a leading bookmakers' fancy.
"There's a few other players that disagree with that a little bit,'' he said.
"But I've been playing well the last six or seven months. This is probably the best I've felt going into a grand slam.
"I feel that with all the work I did in December and with great support here I can go far.''
Murray broke early before being broken back but was soon into his stride, showing great movement and touch as he lobbed, dropped a spinning backhand and then cut out a volley for the decisive break in the first set.
He went a double-break up in the second before finally acing the fifth set point, and raced through the last set in just 35 minutes despite occasional lapses in concentration.
"His body language, the way he's walking around the court, looks like he's not that interested,'' Murray said of Granollers.
"He's been that way since we were young. It's difficult to stay with the match.''
Murray had already bettered last year's first-round defeat to eventual finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga as he bids to become the first British grand slam winner since 1936.
The 21-year-old won back-to-back Masters series titles and reached the US Open final last year, taking his total to five for the season and his ranking to No.4 - both British records.
He has already beaten Nadal and 13-time grand slam winner Federer in a six-match unbeaten run this year, raising hopes the British slam drought may be nearly over.
However, suggestions that he was favourite surprised Federer, who is a three-time winner here, and irritated defending champion Novak Djokovic.
"What's his ranking and my ranking?'' Djokovic said.
"All respect to Andy, I like him as a person and as a player. He's done a lot in the last couple months, and he's a very talented player and we can expect him to win some grand slams in the future.
"But you cannot put him as the favourite next to Roger and Rafa and myself here at the Australian Open.''
The title race remains too close to call with all four top seeds showing red-hot form in their early matches.
Murray will face Austria's Jurgen Melzer in the next round with No.1 seed Rafael Nadal lurking as a potential semi-final opponent.
"I was two points away from losing against him in the third round of the US Open and ended up winning in five sets,'' Murray said.
"He's a tough guy, he has a big serve and doesn't let you have too much rhythm.''
Agence France-Presse
The No 4 seed, whose first match was cut short when Andrei Pavel retired hurt, won 6-4 6-2 6-2 to stay on course for a semi-final with world No.1 Rafael Nadal.
Afterwards, Murray hit back at Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, the No 2 and No 3 seeds, who have questioned his status as a leading bookmakers' fancy.
"There's a few other players that disagree with that a little bit,'' he said.
"But I've been playing well the last six or seven months. This is probably the best I've felt going into a grand slam.
"I feel that with all the work I did in December and with great support here I can go far.''
Murray broke early before being broken back but was soon into his stride, showing great movement and touch as he lobbed, dropped a spinning backhand and then cut out a volley for the decisive break in the first set.
He went a double-break up in the second before finally acing the fifth set point, and raced through the last set in just 35 minutes despite occasional lapses in concentration.
"His body language, the way he's walking around the court, looks like he's not that interested,'' Murray said of Granollers.
"He's been that way since we were young. It's difficult to stay with the match.''
Murray had already bettered last year's first-round defeat to eventual finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga as he bids to become the first British grand slam winner since 1936.
The 21-year-old won back-to-back Masters series titles and reached the US Open final last year, taking his total to five for the season and his ranking to No.4 - both British records.
He has already beaten Nadal and 13-time grand slam winner Federer in a six-match unbeaten run this year, raising hopes the British slam drought may be nearly over.
However, suggestions that he was favourite surprised Federer, who is a three-time winner here, and irritated defending champion Novak Djokovic.
"What's his ranking and my ranking?'' Djokovic said.
"All respect to Andy, I like him as a person and as a player. He's done a lot in the last couple months, and he's a very talented player and we can expect him to win some grand slams in the future.
"But you cannot put him as the favourite next to Roger and Rafa and myself here at the Australian Open.''
The title race remains too close to call with all four top seeds showing red-hot form in their early matches.
Murray will face Austria's Jurgen Melzer in the next round with No.1 seed Rafael Nadal lurking as a potential semi-final opponent.
"I was two points away from losing against him in the third round of the US Open and ended up winning in five sets,'' Murray said.
"He's a tough guy, he has a big serve and doesn't let you have too much rhythm.''
Agence France-Presse
| 24 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
subscribe to this blog
Go to Craig Hill's home page by clicking here
