BIELLA-1, 2021, FINAL: Marchenko d Murray 6'2, 6'4

[Sallydaisy]

Andy is into the Final of the Biella-1 Challenger where he’ll play Illya Marchenko #212 (CH 49 in 2016) for the title.

The [U]H2H is 2-0 (https://www.atptour.com/en/players/atp-head-2-head/andy-murray-vs-illya-marchenko/MC10/ME89) with both wins for Andy in 3 straight sets in the early rounds of the Australian Open (2017 and 2011). Marchenko has played mostly on the Challenger Tour and lower level ATP events and has had moderate success (W/L 62/88) but no titles. They’re the same age and began on the ATP Tour around the same time but their career paths have taken decidedly different directions. However, Andy will need to play well because Marchenko is no slouch and has done well in DC events for Ukraine.

Valentine’s Day - Time to be confirmed

[Sallydaisy]

Andy will be on "not before 3.30pm" UK time.
There are 3 QR1 matches for Biella-2 starting 09.00.

[Sallydaisy]

Couple of snippets from Twitter ...


The Tennis Podcast@TennisPodcast
(https://twitter.com/TennisPodcast)Sir Andy Murray - 33, former World No.1, three-time Grand Slam title winner, twice Olympic gold medallist, Davis Cup champion, dad of 3, metal hip - is in Biella, Italy playing a challenger in the middle of a pandemic, in the middle of the Australian Open.

He’s into the final.

Carole Bouchard@carole_bouchard
(https://twitter.com/carole_bouchard)Quite fascinated and admirative of what Murray is doing,really. It takes a lot of humility, resilience,quite the healthy ego and some huge guts to take that road now. Sometimes I have no idea how he keeps wanting to go through it. Still happy if we get to keep him on Tour longer.

[banskogirl]

I am sitting waiting, hoping this will start! The umpire is on court, allegedly!

https://www.atptour.com/en/atp-challenger-tour/challenger-tv/challenger-tv-search-results/2021-7085-ms001-biella-1-andy-murray-vs-illya-marchenko/2021/7085/all

They're on :)

[exislander]

Final starting soon.......

[Jan]

Video is up and running!

[lovetennis]

Players on court....

[Stell]

They're now warming up.

[suttontennis]

And we are off with an immediate loss of serve by A M

[Stell]

Not a good start for Andy, as he has his serve broken.

[HoopGirl]

what's going on - Andy doesnt seem to be moving much?

[harriet]

marchenko marches on, andy at 0-2

[david1610]

Hello everybody! 1-2. C'mon Andy! :)

[Sallydaisy]

Andy holds to 15 and is on the board, just the one early break to Illya for *2-1

[lovetennis]

Andy's on the board 1-2

[HoopGirl]

1-3 now

[Sallydaisy]

Andys' timing not yet on song ... maybe he's nervous???

[harriet]

very low key stuff here, punters will want their money back

[Hawkeye]

3 break points, and then 4-1.

[HoopGirl]

1- 4

Andy not looking good - low first serve and very low second serve percentage

[harriet]

marchenko gets another break, serving at 4-1

[HoopGirl]

I wonder if he's sore - its all catching up on him - the run this week

[Hawkeye]

It's plain, I think, that playing multiple days in a row just isn't happening for Andy at the moment.

[HoopGirl]

1-5 now

[HoopGirl]

He's not even running for those shots!

[Sallydaisy]

It won't be the first match we've witnessed with a slow start from Andy ... let's hope it's just that. Many reasons for why he's not firing on all six especially given that he so clearly keenly wanted to be back in action on a tennis court again even if it was at Challenger level.

[harriet]

set point, saved, but elementary must make marchenko serve for the set.
c'mon andy, back to basics

[Sallydaisy]

Andy holds, Marchenko to serve for the 1st set at *5-2

[harriet]

held serve, evvventually, marchenko's first go at serving it out

[pabbers]

Really looks like he doesn't want to be there. No oomph.

[david1610]

Under the circumstances, that was a great hold. At least the opponent has to serve it out. Let's see if Andy can get himself more into the match in the other sets. Five matches in a week might be a step too far at the moment. But we will see. C'mon Andy!

[Stell]

I hope Andy can win the second set.

[harriet]

marchenko bombing down the aces, so it's into the first of two one set shoot-outs
andy to serve first

[Sallydaisy]

Marchenko takes the first set 6'2.
His 1st serve % was up at 83% against Andys' 53%.
Muzzah will have to dig deep (if he can) to win this - not for the first time.
:pirate:

[david1610]

Whatever the result, I hope Andy's body sends encouraging signs to him! C'mon Andy!

[JAMES4578]

obviously "challenging" for Andy playing multiple days even in a event like this, however still pretty disappointed at the display thus far,still might get going.

[banskogirl]

Well that was an odd set. Not ruling Andy out yet though :knight:

Come on Muzzah!

[harriet]

0-30, beaten by a dropper

[Teresa]

He must be exhausted. His first time playing matches on successive days. Broken at start of second.

[Jan]

Well it's certainly good match practice, even if he doesn't win.

[harriet]

dropped serve, beaten by drop shots after long rallies where marchenko held centre and andy scampered into wings at each side

[lovetennis]

Looking very low on energy and not chasing down some balls. C'mon Andy

[Sallydaisy]

dropped serve, beaten by drop shots after long rallies where marchenko held centre and andy scampered into wings at each side
I'm just glad he can still "scamper"
;)

[exislander]

Maybe we should remember he did have COVID just a few weeks ago even if mild symptoms.

[lovetennis]

Maybe we should remember he did have COVID just a few weeks ago even if mild symptoms.

Good point

[Sallydaisy]

:hmm:
40-15 to Ad for Marchenko ... saved the break point though. Deuce

[Sallydaisy]

:phew:

Andy holds, toughed that game out ...

[harriet]

30 love up, but had to play through long deuce points to finally collar the game.
both of them practicing their droppers, marchenko at 2-1

[Stell]

Did anyone catch what Andy said to the umpire at the start of the second set?

[harriet]

easy hold for marchenko, all back on andy now

[Teresa]

I don’t think the Umpiring has been quite the standard he is used to.....!!!

[harriet]

perhaps 'getting to the final' was andy's goal for the week?
(is that a professional foul?)
hoolds serve, marchenko still only one game up

[harriet]

all too easy for marchenko, andy on the court but hardly in the game

[Jan]

A love hold :clap:

[Sallydaisy]

Love hold for Andy, still just the one break down in this set .....

[harriet]

this time andy held from 40 love with no drama.
nother game for both, THEN the fireworks from andy at 5-4 marchenko

[harriet]

andy swearing loudly, and marchenko holds for 5-3
get in there, andy!

[Sallydaisy]

Andy deffo trying to break the Marchenko serve there, and very cross with himself for not doing so. Whatever might be going on with his head/body he still wants to win!!!
:pirate:

[Sallydaisy]

Andy holds for 4-5 forcing Marchenko to serve for the match.

[harriet]

shaky, but held
marchenko at 5-4, NOW, NOW, NOW andy, this is your time!!!

[lovetennis]

this time andy held from 40 love with no drama.
nother game for both, THEN the fireworks from andy at 5-4 marchenko

Here we go then 5-4 :thumbup:

[JAMES4578]

Andy digging in and saves the match point, however must produce now to stay in the final.

[exislander]

When did he last play 5 matches in a week with potentially the same next week?

[Hawkeye]

Match point.

[Teresa]

Deuce

[Hawkeye]

Saved. Let's get a break point.

[Hawkeye]

Match point number 2.

[Sallydaisy]

When did he last play 5 matches in a week with potentially the same next week?
Antwerp in October 2019 but after that he only played one RR match at DC in Nov and had to stop because of a slightly different problem with pelvic muscles.
He has only played 7 matches in total in 2020.

[Sallydaisy]

GSM Marchenko 6'2, 6'4. He played well and deserved the win.
:trophy:

No title for Andy this week, his level just wasn't good enough.

[themass15]

Not to be for Andy today; let's hope he has enough in the tank for next week

[david1610]

Not to be for Andy today; let's hope he has enough in the tank for next week

My thoughts exactly!

[harriet]

marchenko wins, 6-2, 6-4
pushed to deuce, but held quite easily.
andy still a bit slow, and too many balls netted.

[HoopGirl]

I wonder if he will pull out of next week's tournament

[Stell]

You would think we could get to see at least the trophy presentation!! Andy did look deflated at the end.

[JAMES4578]

Andy level did improve a bit as match progressed but was 2nd best to Marchenko, outplayed for the most part though looked kike he might jave an opening towards the end. A pity but hopefully some confidence from the week overall.

[clancy]

My heart bleeds for him. x

[HoopGirl]

Lots of positives from the week but I feel disappointed for him about todays match as it was very one sided.
Must be tough to keep up the motivation in this sort of situation

[Teresa]

You would think we could get to see at least the trophy presentation!! Andy did look deflated at the end.

I imagine because it reminds him he still has a way to go. Not too mention he hates losing at anything. Non the less he has picked up a few more ranking points, and got further than he did in the last challenger he played.

[Jane]

So sad for him, but better getting to the final here than going to Australia after covid and going out early in the tournament - I suppose.

[harriet]

oh well, roll on monday, at least andy is in town already, who's with him at the mo?

[patlowe]

Andy had his hands full today. Just wasn't his day, from the word go. But hey, great way to spend a lockdown Sunday a'noon! It's so good to know we should see him again next week, all being well. Marchenko was a man on a mission today. He was relentless. I had heard he was complaining about Andy getting 'preferential treatment', so I reckon he had a point to prove. I think we should consign him to Room 101, along with Mats Wilander! Anyway, great weeks practice for our champ, and here's to the next time. :knight:

[RosieBear]

Shame for Andy. Didn't watch so can't comment on his performance, but easy to think he should have won and anything less is disappointing. But there's a lot of talented guys out there and Andy hasn't played competitively or strung wins together for ages. A final is a good show. Onwards and definitely upwards for Andy :thumbup:

[banskogirl]

I wonder if he will pull out of next week's tournament


You would think we could get to see at least the trophy presentation!! Andy did look deflated at the end.

Hoping he won't pull out, if he was prepared to go to AO and play for 2 weeks. If he goes ahead maybe that should tell us more than today's score. He can't improve without match play. Maybe it hit him today that it's not the the same fighting for this trophy as it would be if he was in Oz?

If anything is disappointing to those playing Challengers week in week out it must be when it's not worth keep a stream for the winner to lift the trophy!

I've just cheered myself up with comparing Marchenko and his ranking to Aslan the Russian and what he's doing in Oz!

Anyway hoping Andy plays Biella 2 and I am just thankful that we got to see him play this week :maggie::cheer:

[Guerkins2]

Too many mistakes & not enough first serves when he needed them, unfortunately, but I thought he started to play better towards the end.

It’s great to see Andy playing again and I am looking forward to next week.

[Mickey]

I think Andy is still suffering the after effects of COVID, he seemed very lacklustre. Those who have had the virus say sometimes you feel alright and the next day feel tired and have no energy.