Brisbane win boosts Murray's Aussie hopes
Source: Agencies |
January 7, 2013, Monday
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AN emotional Andy Murray dedicated his Brisbane International title to a sick friend after the Scot kicked off 2013 with a successful defense of his Brisbane title, holding off the up-and-coming Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov 7-6 (0), 6-4 yesterday.
"I'd like to dedicate this victory to one of my best friends," Murray said, moments after it seemed he'd finished his thank you list. "Thank you very much. He's back home watching and, you're going to get through." He signed what appeared to say "For You Perched" on a plaque after the match.
Murray began his breakthrough season in 2012 by winning in Brisbane and followed that up later with career-changing titles at the London Olympics and US Open. The 25-year-old Scot started slowly yesterday and had to recover breaks in both sets, and was happy with the payoff from his concerted efforts to work on playing aggressively.
"I got off to not the best start and he was playing very aggressive, and by the end of the first set I had turned the tables and I was the one make him do a lot of running," he said. "It's a change of mentality really, and that doesn't happen in a few weeks. It's taken time to believe that that's the right thing to do, to be aggressive.
"That at was what I worked on in December, and I worked on it for the majority of last year as well. Did it well today."
The 21-year-old Dimitrov raced to a 4-1 lead in his first ATP final, stunning Murray with some impressive single-handed backhands, but lost his nerve and was broken when serving for the set at 5-3. After getting back on serve, No. 3-ranked Murray saved a set-point with an ace and forced a tiebreaker, which he dominated.
In Doha, second-seeded Richard Gasquet won the Qatar Open for his eight career title on Saturday, coming from a set down to beat Nikolay Davydenko 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3.
Meanwhile, world No. 8 Petra Kvitova's preparations for the Australian Open suffered another setback when she was thrashed 1-6, 1-6 by Dominika Cibulkova in the first round of the Sydney International yesterday.
"I'd like to dedicate this victory to one of my best friends," Murray said, moments after it seemed he'd finished his thank you list. "Thank you very much. He's back home watching and, you're going to get through." He signed what appeared to say "For You Perched" on a plaque after the match.
Murray began his breakthrough season in 2012 by winning in Brisbane and followed that up later with career-changing titles at the London Olympics and US Open. The 25-year-old Scot started slowly yesterday and had to recover breaks in both sets, and was happy with the payoff from his concerted efforts to work on playing aggressively.
"I got off to not the best start and he was playing very aggressive, and by the end of the first set I had turned the tables and I was the one make him do a lot of running," he said. "It's a change of mentality really, and that doesn't happen in a few weeks. It's taken time to believe that that's the right thing to do, to be aggressive.
"That at was what I worked on in December, and I worked on it for the majority of last year as well. Did it well today."
The 21-year-old Dimitrov raced to a 4-1 lead in his first ATP final, stunning Murray with some impressive single-handed backhands, but lost his nerve and was broken when serving for the set at 5-3. After getting back on serve, No. 3-ranked Murray saved a set-point with an ace and forced a tiebreaker, which he dominated.
In Doha, second-seeded Richard Gasquet won the Qatar Open for his eight career title on Saturday, coming from a set down to beat Nikolay Davydenko 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3.
Meanwhile, world No. 8 Petra Kvitova's preparations for the Australian Open suffered another setback when she was thrashed 1-6, 1-6 by Dominika Cibulkova in the first round of the Sydney International yesterday.
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