Andy Murray and Scottish tennis

[maryb]

Kooyong 2007. Sorry guys.

Hopefully they'll play each other many more times.

[iman]

well its good for murray i guess...but like you said mary these exhibtion tournments are not really something to get hung up over!!!

[maryb]

A 4th round match with Rafa! ;D Go for it Andy.

[SAFINNO1]

Murray Successfully Defends Title With Win Over Karlovic
© Ron Angle
Andy Murray of Scotland (pictured at left) won the title for the second straight year at the SAP Open in San Jose Sunday, outlasting Croatia's Ivo Karlovic 6-7(3), 6-4, 7-6(2).

Murray is the first player to repeat his San Jose crown since Andy Roddick in 2004-05. The Scotsman beat Roddick in the semifinals this year and last.

Murray withstood 26 aces from the 6'10" (2.08m) Croat, who blasted a record 113 aces for the tournament.

Murray was able to break Karlovic twice in 17 service games, double the amount Karlovic had been broken in his prior 51 service games this week.

Karlovic won 84 percent of his first-serve points, but only 40 percent on his second serve. The first meeting between Karlovic and Murray lasted two hours and 34 minutes.

The Scotsman improved his record in ATP finals to 2-3. He beat Lleyton Hewitt for the SAP Open title in his debut last year and has a career mark of 10-0 in San Jose. Murray is off to a torrid start of 12-2 this year. He finished as runner-up at Doha last month (l. to Ljubicic).

Murray has a career-best ATP Ranking of No. 13, making him the highest-ranked teenager, one rung ahead of fellow 19-year-old Novak Djokovic.

Karlovic, who turns 28 Feb. 28, was appearing in the second final of his ATP career. He also was runner-up at London-Queen's Club in 2005 (l. to Roddick).

He is off to a 7-4 start this year and will jump higher from his No. 103 ranking next week. Karlovic has a career mark of 4-2 at San Jose, losing in the first round in his debut last year (to B. Wilson).

WHAT THE PLAYERS SAID

Andy Murray: “He can hit spots on the court that guys physically can’t even see. He can consistently hit 140-mile-an-hour serves. He’s so tough to win against. You know he is probably the best server in the game, but he’s not the best returner. You just have to try and focus on playing your game.”

On the court speed: “This year was a much quicker court, but I managed to work with the conditions. I think I got a little bit of luck here. I kind of make up for not being as quick by my anticipation and how quick I see the ball.”

Ivo Karlovic: “I was maybe rushing a little bit, and that’s why I lost my serve. My serve wasn't as good as before, and that’s why I lost the second set.”

"The atmosphere was unbelievable. It was really exciting, and I enjoyed every part of it.”

“This year I think that I could be top 30. It’s realistic I think. Of course it depends on the knee, on other factors, and also a little bit of luck. We will see."

With his brother who won the doubles aswell

[davis]

I know this post comes a bit late, but the match Andy Roddick vs. Andy Murray in San Jose was wonderful to watch. The Andys pushed each other to the limit and showed some marvellous shots.

It was also fun to watch the fans, esp. the girls with "Go Andy!" posters... ;D And to hear the "Come on Andy"-shouts... They all got me a little confused as to who they really cheered for, LOL!


The Elastic Game

That's the only way to describe Andy Murray's game – expanding, contracting, and generally leaving opponents tied up in knots. Instead of the "I'm just going to go out and play my game" approach, it's "I'm not going to let my opponent play his." His court sense and anticipation give him the ability to figure out their games, and his variety on pace, length and direction lets him consistently force them to hit shots they don't like.

Ivo Karlovic found that out in their first-ever meeting on Sunday – he was up a set and a break in the San Jose final before Murray found his way back to win in a third-set tiebreak 6-7(3), 6-4, 7-6(2). In the first set, Murray won just one point on Karlovic's first serve. Eventually, he was getting almost one out of every four. And if you think that's not too impressive, you haven't seen Karolvic's serve.

As Murray said, he'd "never played anyone like him" – but his eyes and brain soon began to decode what might be the most daunting single shot in the game these days. "There's a little things you can kind of pick up on as the match goes on," said Murray. "Just a couple of inches on either the throw-up or where the racquet's coming when he's making contact with the ball. You've got a split-second to see that and if you don't you've going to get aced. I wasn't seeing it at the start but I managed to find more of a rhythm at the end."

Murray broke Karlovic twice, which is double what everyone else managed this week.

But there was more to it than just getting the return back, as Murray himself found. Karlovic, recognizing that he would be no match for Murray's ability to move him around and keep the ball low in baseline rallies, came in more often than he had the rest of the week. And he succeeded in putting away volleys more often than not during the early stages of the match – with Murray taking a "make him play balls" approach, he didn't have to deal with anything extraordinary.

It was all different by the end of the match, with Murray hitting passing shots at full tilt and sending forehands smoking past Dr. Ivo. (For the record, he also managed the near-impossible feat of getting a lob over Karlovic's 6' 10" frame, which helped him grab a mini-break during the third-set breaker.)

Attach Brad Gilbert's tactical tentacles to Murray's amorphous game , and the web being spun becomes even more formidable. In fact, like Karlovic's serve, there's some question about whether it should even be legal.

Earlier in the week, Murray said in the past he would figure out opponent's games as the match went on, but Gilbert's scouting now meant he was going into matches better prepared and getting off to a faster start.

That's bad news for everyone, but perhaps especially so for Andy Roddick. A, his game doesn't match up well against Murray's to begin with. B, Gilbert is Roddick's ex-coach and privvy to a lot of inside information about his game, even if Roddick has adjusted his game under new coach Jimmy Connors. (All together now: reworking the backhand so he can hit it up the line oftener, standing in closer on the return and trying to move in more.)

"He's going to know a few little things that can help," Murray said about Gilbert before the match against Roddick. Going in, Murray said the match would be "good experience," but afterwards, he certainly sounded like he was already an old hand when it comes to dismantling Roddick's game:

"The best part of my game is my return... Against him there's no point in trying to hit returns off his serve flat and hard; it's a stupid play. He's got a great serve, he hits it hard and the most important thing is to get returns in play. And I did that. I blocked a lot of returns back, got myself in the rally and even if I blocked them and then he's going to come into net, the passing shot is a good part of my game... I pass well and he's started to come in lot too – when it gets close he comes in more... My first passing shot set up the second one; I wasn't always going for a winner off the first pass. I passed well and I mixed it up well; tried to hit some lobs which didn't work all the time but [made sure] he didn't get too close to the net."

Roddick didn't play his best during the straight-sets loss, but in a way, that gets back to the bottom line of Murray's skill too – making opponents feel like they're not playing well.

[jenhatter06]

Andy & Tim are playing doubles at Indian Wells ... would be kinda fun to see them play together

[Annie]

How cool ;D ;D ;D The past and the future of British tennis ;D

[jenhatter06]

Andy/Tim will play Bjorkman/Mirnyi in the doubles QF ...


has the potential to be a very interesting match

[maryb]

Just watched the Davydenko match. Sorry Annie. ;D It was pretty ruthless. The boy is gathering speed on a top 10 place. Jings, a Scottish top 10 player. I still can't believe it. Maybe he'll win Wimbles after all in the near future and put me out of my endless misery. This is a dream come true for me. ;D

I expect Marat to win Wimbles first though! ;D Get yer arse in gear big yin!

[Annie]

No need to say sorry but I wouldn't say he was ruthless. Kolya is still far from his best shape and th amount of unconverted breakpoints yesterday drove me up the wall, too many untaken chances always result in a loss

However I must point out that Andy's tennis is improving greatly and it's a true pleasure to watch him play, his serve as also gotten much much better and he even managed to finish the match off with an ace

Good luck against Haas Andy, please win

[sabz]

Even though I havent been on tgfr for a while doesnt mean i dont follow tennis and i have to say - andy, you are going from strength to strength! ;D
amazing stuff and even though u r playing against my tommy, i hope you win

GOOD LUCK ANDY!!!

[jenhatter06]

my gosh, what a rollercoaster of a match!

[sabz]

AMAZING!!! YAY!!!
what wonderful news to receive after having a restful lie in on a saturday morning - GREAT STUFF
This article is from eurosport:

Britian's Andy Murray overcame an ankle injury and staved off two match points on his way to a 3-6 6-3 7-6 victory over German ninth seed Tommy Haas in the quarter-finals of the Pacific Life Open.

IIn the semi-finals, the 13th seeded Murray will meet 12th seed Novak Djokovic of Serbia, who overpowered 14th seed David Ferrer of Spain 6-3 6-4.

Murray took a medical timeout in the third game of the second set after rolling his left ankle when diving for a forehand, but he was able to battle past the in-form Haas in their first ever meeting.

"I was in a bit of shock because I've had problems with my ankle before," the 19-year-old Briton said.

"The trainer told me it wasn't too bad and he strapped it and then after 10 minutes it wasn't my ankle hurting, it was my side because I had fallen so hard.

"It was hard to push off on my right leg for my serve and forehand."

Due to his injury, Murray was forced to nudge the ball around the court in the second set, but by doing so, he completely took Haas out of his rhythm.

The creative Murray held on to an early break to take the second set when a frustrated Haas missed an easy backhand return.

Murray began to move better in the third set and broke the German veteran in the third game with a forehand volley winner, but Haas broke back in the eighth with a sublime backhand down the line.

Both exhausted, neither man could gain an edge and Haas took a medical timeout for leg cramps after the 11th game.

In a dramatic third set tiebreaker, the 19-year-old Scot fought off his first match point when Haas missed a forehand at 6-5.

Murray then staved off another at 7-6 when he gunned a hard approach shot at Haas that the German could not handle and he took the match when his opponent failed to keep a backhand passing shot in the court.

"It was pretty eventful," Murray added. "It was a great match but I was more happy about my ankle not being too bad. There were so many ups and downs.

"I just hope that when I wake up that everything is not too sore because the important thing is my health as I've hurt my ankle before and don't want to risk anything."

COME ON ANDY!!! GO ALL THE WAY!!! GOOD LUCK!!!

[maryb]

Jeez, just watched the Haas match (recorded it - couldn't face getting up in the middle of the night). Pretty gripping third set and tiebreak. ;D Good to see Andy's legs - and focus - holding up in a three setter, particularly as he went down pretty heavily on his leg in the second set. Looks like his boot camp days with Brad are paying off.

Fingers crossed that he'll have a good rest before the next match. He'll no doubt be feeling pretty sore. Well done boy. Keep going! ;D

[maryb]

Ah well. Not bad getting so far though. Well done.