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Djokovic, Murray advance in Dubai
Source: Agencies |
February 24, 2010, Wednesday
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DEFENDING champion Novak Djokovic and third-seeded Andy Murray advanced to the second round of the Dubai Championships on Monday.
The second-seeded Serb beat Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain 6-4, 6-4 and Murray defeated Russia's Igor Kunitsyn 6-2, 6-3 in Monday's first round of the US$1.6 million tournament.
The fourth-ranked Murray had a nervous start, with the first two games lasting more than half an hour. Kunitsyn kept it tight in the third game, but Murray held on for 3-0. The Russian player came back strongly in the next two games, holding his serve and breaking Murray to make it 3-2. But the 22-year-old Briton won the next three games and took the set with a superb forehand.
"I was actually really out of breath early in the match," Murray said, adding that he has hardly trained since the Australian Open, where he lost to Roger Federer in the final. "I haven't practiced that much or trained that much ... the second game was incredibly long."
Kunitsyn started the second set well, breaking Murray in the first game. But Murray broke back immediately and then held his serve comfortably to go 2-1 up. Murray then broke Kunitsyn a second time in the sixth game and thwarted the Russian's attempts to recover by holding his serve for a commanding 5-2 lead.
Murray had to save a break point in the final game, sending down a cracking serve to get back to deuce, but Kunitsyn finally lost on an unforced error.
Murray said overall he was satisfied with his game.
"I wasn't expecting to play my best tennis," he said. "I served well when I needed to. I moved pretty good throughout the match, and yes, it was a perfect start."
Murray will play the winner of the match between Serbia's Janko Tipsarevic and Andreas Seppi of Italy.
Djokovic broke his opponent twice in the first set and three times in the second. Djokovic started well breaking Garcia-Lopez on his first serve to go 2-0 up, but the Spaniard broke back immediately. Games then went with serve until Garcia-Lopez, serving to stay in the set, double faulted to give Djokovic set point.
The 22-year-old Serb dominated the second set and quickly took a 5-0 lead before Garcia-Lopez fought back, breaking Djokovic twice in the seventh and ninth games to make it 5-4. But Garcia-Lopez failed to hold on to his serve when it mattered most, allowing Djokovic to take the second set 6-4 and with it the match.
"It was not pleasant coming from 5-Love to 5-4 and (Garcia-Lopez) serving to get back into the match," Djokovic said. "But it was all my fault. I think I lost focus.
"It's the first match outdoors since Australia, so (I am) still getting used to the conditions," Djokovic said, adding that he hopes to do better as he looks to defend a title for the first time.
"It's a success that I am still trying to achieve, to defend my title," Djokovic said. "I haven't done it in my career so I am really hoping that it's going to be this week."
Fellow Serb
Djokovic will play fellow Serb Victor Troicki next. Troicki on Monday won his opening match against German Rainer Schuettler 6-3,6-4.
Djokovic, Andy Murray, Nikolay Davydenko, Jo-Wilfred Tsonga and Marin Cilic are the only top-10 ranked players in the field after top-ranked Roger Federer pulled out of the tournament on Sunday due to a lung infection.
Also on Monday, Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus knocked out eighth-seeded Gilles Simon and advanced to the second round with a straight-sets victory over the French player 7-6 (3), 6-4.
Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia also advanced after defeating Jan Hernych of the Czech Republic 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-4.
Austrians Jurgen Melzer and Stefan Koubek advanced after both won in straight sets against Simone Bolelli of Italy and Feliciano Lopez of Spain. Melzer beat Bolelli 6-1, 7-5 and Koubek defeated Lopez 7-6, 6-4.
In Kuala Lumpur, Chinese Taipei's Chang Kai-Shen edged China's Zhang Shuai 7-6 (4), 7-5 at the Malaysian Open yesterday. Another Chinese and tournament's second seed Li Na also exited.
Russia's Alla Kudryavtseva progressed when Chinese Taipei's Chan Yung-jan retired while trailing 0-6, 0-3.
The second-seeded Serb beat Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain 6-4, 6-4 and Murray defeated Russia's Igor Kunitsyn 6-2, 6-3 in Monday's first round of the US$1.6 million tournament.
The fourth-ranked Murray had a nervous start, with the first two games lasting more than half an hour. Kunitsyn kept it tight in the third game, but Murray held on for 3-0. The Russian player came back strongly in the next two games, holding his serve and breaking Murray to make it 3-2. But the 22-year-old Briton won the next three games and took the set with a superb forehand.
"I was actually really out of breath early in the match," Murray said, adding that he has hardly trained since the Australian Open, where he lost to Roger Federer in the final. "I haven't practiced that much or trained that much ... the second game was incredibly long."
Kunitsyn started the second set well, breaking Murray in the first game. But Murray broke back immediately and then held his serve comfortably to go 2-1 up. Murray then broke Kunitsyn a second time in the sixth game and thwarted the Russian's attempts to recover by holding his serve for a commanding 5-2 lead.
Murray had to save a break point in the final game, sending down a cracking serve to get back to deuce, but Kunitsyn finally lost on an unforced error.
Murray said overall he was satisfied with his game.
"I wasn't expecting to play my best tennis," he said. "I served well when I needed to. I moved pretty good throughout the match, and yes, it was a perfect start."
Murray will play the winner of the match between Serbia's Janko Tipsarevic and Andreas Seppi of Italy.
Djokovic broke his opponent twice in the first set and three times in the second. Djokovic started well breaking Garcia-Lopez on his first serve to go 2-0 up, but the Spaniard broke back immediately. Games then went with serve until Garcia-Lopez, serving to stay in the set, double faulted to give Djokovic set point.
The 22-year-old Serb dominated the second set and quickly took a 5-0 lead before Garcia-Lopez fought back, breaking Djokovic twice in the seventh and ninth games to make it 5-4. But Garcia-Lopez failed to hold on to his serve when it mattered most, allowing Djokovic to take the second set 6-4 and with it the match.
"It was not pleasant coming from 5-Love to 5-4 and (Garcia-Lopez) serving to get back into the match," Djokovic said. "But it was all my fault. I think I lost focus.
"It's the first match outdoors since Australia, so (I am) still getting used to the conditions," Djokovic said, adding that he hopes to do better as he looks to defend a title for the first time.
"It's a success that I am still trying to achieve, to defend my title," Djokovic said. "I haven't done it in my career so I am really hoping that it's going to be this week."
Fellow Serb
Djokovic will play fellow Serb Victor Troicki next. Troicki on Monday won his opening match against German Rainer Schuettler 6-3,6-4.
Djokovic, Andy Murray, Nikolay Davydenko, Jo-Wilfred Tsonga and Marin Cilic are the only top-10 ranked players in the field after top-ranked Roger Federer pulled out of the tournament on Sunday due to a lung infection.
Also on Monday, Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus knocked out eighth-seeded Gilles Simon and advanced to the second round with a straight-sets victory over the French player 7-6 (3), 6-4.
Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia also advanced after defeating Jan Hernych of the Czech Republic 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-4.
Austrians Jurgen Melzer and Stefan Koubek advanced after both won in straight sets against Simone Bolelli of Italy and Feliciano Lopez of Spain. Melzer beat Bolelli 6-1, 7-5 and Koubek defeated Lopez 7-6, 6-4.
In Kuala Lumpur, Chinese Taipei's Chang Kai-Shen edged China's Zhang Shuai 7-6 (4), 7-5 at the Malaysian Open yesterday. Another Chinese and tournament's second seed Li Na also exited.
Russia's Alla Kudryavtseva progressed when Chinese Taipei's Chan Yung-jan retired while trailing 0-6, 0-3.
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