Sallydaisy
06-01-2013, 06:36
Always good to start the year with a title under your belt and, just as in 2012, that's precisely what Andy Murray has done. He was introduced on court as Andy Murray from Scotland ...
;)
It was a rather up and down performance from Andy today. He knew Dimitrov was likely to come out all guns blazing and the Bulgarian player did so in some style winning the opening game before breaking Murray and then racing to a 4-1 lead. After those first few games Murray began to understand what to do to beat the Bulgarian. He just raised his game enough to break back and after that it stayed on serve and went into a tie-breaker. Andy dominated from start to finish winning 7 points on the trot to take the first set 7'6(0).
In the 2nd set it looked like plainer sailing until a couple of sloppy games from Andy ended up with a break to Grigor to lead 4-3 and serving. Andy wiped the deficit straight away in the next game, held his own service game to love to go 5-4 up and went for chances to break in the 10th game to take the match on Grisha's serve.
The strategy paid off and earned him a match point at *30-40 on the Dimitrov serve.
GSM Andy Murray 7'6(0), 6'4.
Dimitrov played very well to begin but faded a little once Murray got his own game working. All credit to Andy who didn't play his A game but found a way to neutralise the fire from this 'young gun'.
Photo with trophy:-
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/01/06/article-2257879-16C66FD9000005DC-8_634x429.jpg
POSTSCRIPT: It seems that Andy dedicated his win to a good friend.
"I'd like to dedicate this victory to one of my best friends," Murray said, his voice starting to break at the end of the trophy presentation. "Thank you very much. He's back home watching and you're going to get through."
It might explain why his game was more topsy-turvy than we might have expected and he looked very serious on court all week - very few smiles. He's a very caring guy and it's clear that this friend's troubles have been on his mind.
Thank goodness Lendl is his coach and can help him with his emotions at the AO.
An emotional Andy immediately after the win:
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/01/06/article-0-16C66DE1000005DC-346_634x412.jpg
(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/01/06/article-0-16C66DE1000005DC-346_634x412.jpg)
Trophy Presentation/Speech:
http://www.espn.co.uk/tennis/sport/video_audio/186987.html?genre=19;sport=5
Post match presser:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tfxZ1DhAak&list=UUqV0MI8YsCQpVfuXo2kz5Jw
YouTube Full match: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UuoFLpdQ4k
;)
It was a rather up and down performance from Andy today. He knew Dimitrov was likely to come out all guns blazing and the Bulgarian player did so in some style winning the opening game before breaking Murray and then racing to a 4-1 lead. After those first few games Murray began to understand what to do to beat the Bulgarian. He just raised his game enough to break back and after that it stayed on serve and went into a tie-breaker. Andy dominated from start to finish winning 7 points on the trot to take the first set 7'6(0).
In the 2nd set it looked like plainer sailing until a couple of sloppy games from Andy ended up with a break to Grigor to lead 4-3 and serving. Andy wiped the deficit straight away in the next game, held his own service game to love to go 5-4 up and went for chances to break in the 10th game to take the match on Grisha's serve.
The strategy paid off and earned him a match point at *30-40 on the Dimitrov serve.
GSM Andy Murray 7'6(0), 6'4.
Dimitrov played very well to begin but faded a little once Murray got his own game working. All credit to Andy who didn't play his A game but found a way to neutralise the fire from this 'young gun'.
Photo with trophy:-
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/01/06/article-2257879-16C66FD9000005DC-8_634x429.jpg
POSTSCRIPT: It seems that Andy dedicated his win to a good friend.
"I'd like to dedicate this victory to one of my best friends," Murray said, his voice starting to break at the end of the trophy presentation. "Thank you very much. He's back home watching and you're going to get through."
It might explain why his game was more topsy-turvy than we might have expected and he looked very serious on court all week - very few smiles. He's a very caring guy and it's clear that this friend's troubles have been on his mind.
Thank goodness Lendl is his coach and can help him with his emotions at the AO.
An emotional Andy immediately after the win:
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/01/06/article-0-16C66DE1000005DC-346_634x412.jpg
(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/01/06/article-0-16C66DE1000005DC-346_634x412.jpg)
Trophy Presentation/Speech:
http://www.espn.co.uk/tennis/sport/video_audio/186987.html?genre=19;sport=5
Post match presser:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tfxZ1DhAak&list=UUqV0MI8YsCQpVfuXo2kz5Jw
YouTube Full match: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UuoFLpdQ4k