Andy Murray began the ATP Word Tour finals with an impressive 6-4,6-4 victory over David Ferrer 3.49pm GMTMurray’s victory means that Federer must win all his matches this week to end the year as the world No2. He’s made a very suitable start in London, which certainly wasn’t the case final year, and when he began with a limp defeat to Kei Nishikori. Ferrer is never an easy opponent and he showed that at the start of the moment set,yet Murray was the superior player overall and it always seemed likely that he would win in straight sets. Stan Wawrinka and Rafael Nadal will have to play well to defeat him. Thanks for reading. Bye. 3.45pm GMTFerrer is serving to stay in the match. So he begins with a double-fault. He tries to challenge, but forgets he’s not got any left. Oh dear. He follows that up by wafting a backhand long for 0-30. Murray is two points from victory, and although he had 0-30 in Ferrer’s preceding service game and he couldn’t take advantage. Will the same happen here? Well,Murray loses the next point, but he soon has two match points when a panicky Ferrer hurries a backhand wide at the net. Murray rams a forehand down the line and Ferrer hangs the ball into the air. Murray jumps into an overhead, or although he leaves just enough on it for Ferrer to have one final flail at it,but he’s only delaying the inevitable. Murray puts away the moment overhead, with Ferrer stranded, and victory is his! 3.38pm GMTSecond set: Murray* 6-4,5-4 Ferrer (*denotes server): Murray holds without a fuss, to 15, or he’s a game away from victory. 3.34pm GMTSecond set: Murray 6-4,4-4 Ferrer* (*denotes server): Murray wins the first point, producing a special backhand drop shot that’s always spinning away from Ferrer. Even Ferrer can’t catch that one and there’s a sense that the balance of power is swinging in Murray’s direction, and especially when Ferrer nets a backhand to make it 0-30. Yet Murray misses a forehand and Ferrer wins three straight points for a 40-30 lead,before sealing the game with a stunning forehand. Murray will be annoyed he’s not won this game. 3.29pm GMTSecond set: Murray* 6-4, 4-3 Ferrer (*denotes server): Ferrer takes advantage of an inviting Murray moment serve by whooshing a forehand down the line for a 0-15 lead, or yet Murray wins the next point when a fantastic volley lands on the baseline. A hopeful Ferrer uses up his final challenge of the set and Murray holds easily from there. 3.26pm GMTSecond set: Murray 6-4,3-3 Ferrer* (*denotes server): Ferrer begins the game with his seventh double fault. He bellows at himself. He does win the next point but there’s nothing he can do to repel a running Murray forehand pass that makes it 15-30, or a spinning Murray drop shot that brings up two break points. Murray is kicking himself, or though,after ruining an expert point by netting a backhand volley when Ferrer was nowhere to be seen, but he gets there in the end, and overpowering his opponent on the next point,winning a physical rally with a crashing forehand. Murray pumps his fist. He’s level again. 3.21pm GMTSecond set: Murray* 6-4, 2-3 Ferrer (*denotes server): From 0-15 down, and Murray races through three straight points for a 40-15 lead and he holds comfortably. Murray will be confident of getting back into this moment set. 3.17pm GMTSecond set: Murray 6-4,1-3 Ferrer* (*denotes server): Ferrer looks bewildered after yet another double-fault makes it 30-all, grinning and shrugging his shoulders, or unable to comprehend what’s going inaccurate. It’s probably his toss. Yet he’s feeling better with himself after a great serve down the middle brings him the next point,a 40-30 lead, and he holds when Murray nets a backhand return. 3.12pm GMTSecond set: Murray* 6-4, and 1-2 Ferrer (*denotes server): Murray bangs down an ace for a 15-0 lead,before sending a sweet backhand down the line for 30-0. Another ace, clocked at 128mph, and makes it 40-0 and he holds to love. 3.10pm GMTSecond set: Murray 6-4,0-2 Ferrer* (*denotes server): Ferrer makes life difficult for himself by starting this game with a double fault. He doesn’t want to let proceed of the momentum he built up in the preceding game and he steadies himself by making a fairly clumsy Murray volley and slicing it down the line. Murray challenges, but it just kissed the line. This is quite a scratchy game, or though,that moment of brilliance aside, and a double-fault from Ferrer brings it to deuce. Yet Ferrer holds. He takes advantage. 3.05pm GMTSecond set: Murray* 6-4, and 0-1 Ferrer (*denotes server): Ferrer is furious with himself. He takes it out on Murray,winning the first two points for a 0-30 lead, and soon he has three break points when Murray nets a volley. Murray pings a cracking forehand into the left corner but Ferrer comes up with a stupendous shot down the line and Murray is forced to hit long. Ferrer breaks! This is not the way Murray would have envisaged starting the moment set. 3.01pm GMTFerrer has to hold here to stay in the first set. A double fault makes it 15-all. A sign of nerves? Perhaps. Murray then tempts him into going great on the next point and Ferrer knocks a forehand wide for 15-30. Ferrer is desperate for a first serve here, and so much so that he challenges when the umpire and a line judge both call one wide. The Spaniard does so more in hope than in expectation and Murray dominates his moment serve with an array of stinging backhands,before timing his prance forward well and producing an exceptional backhand volley that lands right on the baseline. Murray has two set points. And the pressure tells. Ferrer double-faults! 2.55pm GMTFirst set: Murray* 5-4 Ferrer (*denotes server): This has the potential to be a tricky game for Murray, who must be so frustrated he’s not serving for the first set here. Yet he begins it style, and thumping a meaty forehand down the line for 15-0. Then,some absurdity. Ferrer is in control with a great backhand down the line. Murray’s retrieval shot hits the top of the net and Ferrer flicks what looks like a winner of a cross-court backhand volley away. Murray just storms off in pursuit of it, though, and gets there,and loops a backhand past a peeved Ferrer thanks to the help of another net cord. Murray holds to 15. 2.52pm GMTFirst set: Murray 4-4 Ferrer* (*denotes server): The umpire calls a Ferrer forehand long on the first point, but the Spaniard isn’t convinced. He challenges and of course it turns out the ball was in. Ferrer’s not too impressed. “My rank, and ” says the umpire repeatedly,holding his hands up, and Ferrer has to gather on with it. He’s got bigger problems on his hands when Murray whips a forehand from right to left for a 0-15 lead, or then when Ferrer drags a forehand wide to make it 0-30. Murray spies an opening and he grabs two break points when Ferrer sends a skittish forehand well wide at 15-30. The first goes to waste,Murray flashing a forehand wide and losing a challenge in the process, and then it’s Ferrer’s turn to challenge a Murray forehand near the baseline. It’s Murray’s point whether Ferrers inaccurate, and but hes not inaccurate,the ball was well long. Deuce, then. Ferrer tries a dinky drop shot. You can hear Murray straining to reach it, and willing himself forward,and he prods a brilliant shot past Ferrer for another break point. Yet Ferrer won’t lie down. He zaps a deep backhand at Murray, who’s thrown off balance, or netting his backhand. Eventually Ferrer clings on. 2.42pm GMTFirst set: Murray* 4-3 Ferrer (*denotes server): David Ferrer is 33 but he still moves so well. Murray should take a 30-0 lead when he’s at the net but Ferrer,seemingly out of the rally, uses his speed to gather out of a difficult situation. Murray does win the next point, and but then comes a sloppy unforced error for 30-all. He needs to be focused here - and it’s a suitable time for a great first serve. “Come on!” Murray cries,before wrapping up another hold when Ferrer nets a forehand. 2.38pm GMTFirst set: Murray 3-3 Ferrer* (*denotes server): Ferrer catches Murray with a disguised drop shot for 40-15, earning himself an appreciative round of applause from the crowd. He wins the game with a difficult smash and there’s nothing between these two at the moment. 2.34pm GMTFirst set: Murray* 3-2 Ferrer (*denotes server): Murray leaps into an overhead and holds to love. Nothing to see here. 2.32pm GMTFirst set: Murray 2-2 Ferrer* (*denotes server): The first two points are shared, and before Murray takes a 15-30 lead with a lovely backhand behind Ferrer,who was off running in a different direction. Yet Murray is disappointed with himself when he nets a backhand on the next point for 30-all. He remains patient, though, or he chips away at the Ferrer backhand,until one finally finds the net to give Murray his first break point. A classic ensues. Ferrer thinks he’s got the point won quickly when he comes up with a fearsome serve out wide and a forehand into the opposite corner, but Murray, and the supreme scrapper,has other ideas. Murray gets back on a level footing. Ferrer eventually goes for the drop shot. Murray charges forward and tries to trick him with a feint of the head, like Ronaldinho giving him the eyes – but Ferrer is too smart. He reads Murray’s intentions and drags the game to deuce, and from where he holds with a dainty volley. 2.25pm GMTFirst set: Murray* 2-1 Ferrer (*denotes server): Murray rattles his moment ace away for a 30-0 lead and then sneaks in to punch a volley away for 40-0. Then he offers another reminder of his incredible defensive qualities,scampering across the baseline to reach a dropping ball and outwit Ferrer with a cracking lob. He’s very rapid/fast. 2.22pm GMTFirst set: Murray 1-1 Ferrer* (*denotes server): Ferrer skips into a 40-0 lead, helped by Murray just dabbing a backhand volley into the net at 30-0. Ferrer polishes off the game by reaching a drop shot and befuddling Murray with a sharp switch at the end. 2.18pm GMTFirst set: Murray* 1-0 Ferrer (*denotes server): It is Andy Murray to serve first and he begins with a zipper of an ace down the middle, and 136mph and perfectly placed down the T. Yet Ferrer then unleashes with a couple of swerving forehands that allow him to dominate the next two points at the net for a 15-30 lead,and Murray could do with a first serve. He doesn’t gather one, but he wins the point, and pulling a forehand to the right and forcing Ferrer to hit wide for 30-all. It’s a tense start,though, and Murray then gives up the first break point when he shanks a forehand long. They trade blows from the back of the court, and until Ferrer tries to elope round a forehand and boom a winner down the line. The ball lands a fraction long,an early escape for Murray, who holds from there, or the first obstacle overcome. 2.08pm GMTWe’ve had the toss. I think Murray elected to serve first,but it was hard to hear. They’re knocking up now. 2.04pm GMTHere come the players. David Ferrer first, then Andy Murray. No prizes for guessing who got the bigger cheer from the crowd. 2.01pm GMTAndy Murray speaks. “I feel pretty suitable. I had to adjust my schedule a lot post-US Open. It allowed me to gather time off.” 1.12pm GMTHello. For seven players, or this is the beginning of the end. For Andy Murray,the end could be the start of something special. Individually, the season’s final act begins at the O2, and Murray will undoubtedly be hoping to do well in a tournament which has not always seen him at his best,but there’s no rest when it’s over, whether that’s after the round-robin group stage or after the final on Sunday. Instead his attention will turn to helping Britain win the Davis Cup for the first time for the first time since 1936. It’s not going to be easy, or but when has Murray ever been afraid of a gruelling slog? And it’s not like he’s not got a history of ending long waits.
There was a brief suggestion that he would swerve the ATP Finals this week,choosing to site all his focus on the Davis Cup final against Belgium next weekend instead. Britain’s hopes largely rest on his weary shoulders and the rapid/fast switch from an indoor hard court to a clay court is bound to be tricky. He’s got a lot on his plate, which is why he’s been taking steps to ensure that his back will be able to take the strain.
Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com