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Wan LixinOpinion deputy editor of Shanghai Daily
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Easy for Nadal, Zvonareva triumphs
Source: Agencies |
March 24, 2009, Tuesday
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BRITAIN'S Andy Murray was delighted to exceed his own expectations at the BNP Paribas ATP event in Indian Wells, California, despite being demolished by top seed Rafael Nadal in Sunday's final.
The 21-year-old Scot had to withdrew from last month's Dubai Championships and a Davis Cup tie because of a virus and was not fully fit when he arrived in the California desert.
"I don't feel I'm that disappointed just now with how the week went because I wasn't expecting to do that well," Murray told reporters after losing 1-6, 2-6 to world No. 1 Nadal.
"I had some very good wins. I got a lot of the matches that I wasn't necessarily expecting.
"So going into Miami, I'm going to be better prepared than I thought," he added, referring to the second Masters Series event of the season.
"Obviously today was not my best day but I'll definitely get over it because I'm guessing I'm not going to play in those conditions each week."
Murray, who beat three-time champion Roger Federer in the semifinals, struggled in tricky swirling winds on Sunday that continually blew dust around the stadium court at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
"It was tough," the British world No. 4 said after being swept aside in 80 minutes by Nadal.
"I haven't played in conditions as windy as that for quite a long time. Rafa dealt with it very well. He hit the ball cleaner and just seemed to get himself in better positions than I did."
Murray had high hopes going into Sunday's final, having beaten the Spaniard in their previous two encounters.
Nadal said the conditions were really difficult.
"But I have a good strategy and I played a really good match with those conditions.
"Probably Andy didn't play his best because of the conditions but I played a really complete match. I was moving very well, I never stop the legs during the whole match, and I think that was the key today.
Like Nadal, Vera Zvonareva adapted better to the on-and-off gusts than did her opponent, beating defending champion Ana Ivanovic 7-6 (5) 6-2 in the women's final.
Zvonareva added the singles trophy to the one she won in doubles with Victoria Azarenka a day earlier. Zvonareva had beaten Azarenka in their singles semifinal. No. 6 Zvonareva joined Lindsay Davenport as the only women to win the singles and doubles title at Indian Wells in the same year. Davenport did it twice, in 1997 and 2000.
Zvonareva, too, had a plan.
"After a couple of games, I knew that the conditions were very difficult and it's not going to probably change and I have to fight for every point, have to adjust my game," she said. "Even though I had some mistakes and some frustrating points with the wind, I was still trying to put as many balls as I can in the court, trying to concentrate."
Ivanovic, who made 46 unforced errors to Zvonareva's 23, said the conditions were the worst she's played in.
The 21-year-old Scot had to withdrew from last month's Dubai Championships and a Davis Cup tie because of a virus and was not fully fit when he arrived in the California desert.
"I don't feel I'm that disappointed just now with how the week went because I wasn't expecting to do that well," Murray told reporters after losing 1-6, 2-6 to world No. 1 Nadal.
"I had some very good wins. I got a lot of the matches that I wasn't necessarily expecting.
"So going into Miami, I'm going to be better prepared than I thought," he added, referring to the second Masters Series event of the season.
"Obviously today was not my best day but I'll definitely get over it because I'm guessing I'm not going to play in those conditions each week."
Murray, who beat three-time champion Roger Federer in the semifinals, struggled in tricky swirling winds on Sunday that continually blew dust around the stadium court at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
"It was tough," the British world No. 4 said after being swept aside in 80 minutes by Nadal.
"I haven't played in conditions as windy as that for quite a long time. Rafa dealt with it very well. He hit the ball cleaner and just seemed to get himself in better positions than I did."
Murray had high hopes going into Sunday's final, having beaten the Spaniard in their previous two encounters.
Nadal said the conditions were really difficult.
"But I have a good strategy and I played a really good match with those conditions.
"Probably Andy didn't play his best because of the conditions but I played a really complete match. I was moving very well, I never stop the legs during the whole match, and I think that was the key today.
Like Nadal, Vera Zvonareva adapted better to the on-and-off gusts than did her opponent, beating defending champion Ana Ivanovic 7-6 (5) 6-2 in the women's final.
Zvonareva added the singles trophy to the one she won in doubles with Victoria Azarenka a day earlier. Zvonareva had beaten Azarenka in their singles semifinal. No. 6 Zvonareva joined Lindsay Davenport as the only women to win the singles and doubles title at Indian Wells in the same year. Davenport did it twice, in 1997 and 2000.
Zvonareva, too, had a plan.
"After a couple of games, I knew that the conditions were very difficult and it's not going to probably change and I have to fight for every point, have to adjust my game," she said. "Even though I had some mistakes and some frustrating points with the wind, I was still trying to put as many balls as I can in the court, trying to concentrate."
Ivanovic, who made 46 unforced errors to Zvonareva's 23, said the conditions were the worst she's played in.
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