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Wan LixinOpinion deputy editor of Shanghai Daily
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Murray enjoys lucky walkover in Dubai
Source: Agencies |
February 25, 2009, Wednesday
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Print Edition
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ANDY Murray's injured ankle proved less troublesome than that of opponent Sergiy Stakhovsky, who retired while trailing 6-7 (3), 6-3, 5-3 on Monday in the first round of the Dubai Championships.
The fourth-ranked Murray was leading 30-0 on Stakhovsky's serve in the ninth game of the third set when the Ukrainian retired.
"It was a bit strange with both of us struggling with our ankles toward the end of the match, but he was aggressive, fought very well and hit some unbelievable volleys," Murray said. "I played a couple of bad games in the first set and was disappointed with my serve. But I was always having chances on his serves, so I wasn't really worried. But I think I tweaked my ankle about an hour-and-a-half into the match. I have got to see the physio now. The ankle was feeling a lot better during practice, but I was wearing braces then."
Murray will next face either Rainer Schuettler or Arnaud Clement.
Qualifier Marco Chiudenelli of Switzerland also advanced to the second round, beating seventh-seeded Ivo Karlovic of Croatia 7-6 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (7). Chiudenelli is making a third comeback after two career-threatening injuries. "I cannot call this dream-come-true yet, though beating someone like Karlovic is great," the 27-year-old Chiudenelli said. "I think I will have to beat a few more players before I can call it a dream come true."
Fourth-seeded David Ferrer of Spain defeated Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, and fifth-seeded Marin Cilic of Croatia rallied to beat Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia 2-6, 7-6, 6-4.
"It was really tough to get back in the match after losing that first set, losing my first two service games," Cilic said. "It helped that I saved two break points in the first game of the second set and got myself a little bit into the match, and started serving a bit better after that."
The tournament has been hit hard by withdrawals. Top-ranked Rafael Nadal and No. 2 Roger Federer pulled out with injuries, while defending champion Andy Roddick withdrew under protest over the visa fiasco. Nikolay Davydenko and Fernando Verdasco also pulled out.
In Florida, second-seeded Sam Querrey defeated Guillermo Canas of Argentina 7-6 (3), 6-4 to advance to the second round at the Delray Beach International.
American Querrey, who asked for a wildcard into the tournament on Friday, had 13 aces during the 1 hour, 38 minute match. Querrey took advantage of three of 10 break points and will next face Christophe Rochus of Belgium, a 6-3, 6-4 winner over Croatia's Roko Karanusic.
"He makes a lot of balls and he makes you work for every point," said Querrey, who reached the quarterfinals of San Jose and Memphis the past two weeks.
"I kind of had a little cold last week and early on in the first set I was feeling winded after some of those long points. He always makes you hit another ball on every point."
Earlier, Austrian Stefan Koubek's return from injury continued to gain momentum as he beat American Bobby Reynolds 6-4, 6-3.
"In general, I'm very happy because it was quite easy," said Koubek, who was sidelined for six months after surgery to repair a spinal disk last May. "It was a very solid match."
The 266th-ranked Koubek, who won the tournament in 2000, broke serve twice in the first set and once in the second set to secure the win.
"I only won three tournaments in my career so if I come back to one of those it's always something special," Koubek said. "It feels kind of strange because it was nine years ago. I must be an old guy on the tour."
The fourth-ranked Murray was leading 30-0 on Stakhovsky's serve in the ninth game of the third set when the Ukrainian retired.
"It was a bit strange with both of us struggling with our ankles toward the end of the match, but he was aggressive, fought very well and hit some unbelievable volleys," Murray said. "I played a couple of bad games in the first set and was disappointed with my serve. But I was always having chances on his serves, so I wasn't really worried. But I think I tweaked my ankle about an hour-and-a-half into the match. I have got to see the physio now. The ankle was feeling a lot better during practice, but I was wearing braces then."
Murray will next face either Rainer Schuettler or Arnaud Clement.
Qualifier Marco Chiudenelli of Switzerland also advanced to the second round, beating seventh-seeded Ivo Karlovic of Croatia 7-6 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (7). Chiudenelli is making a third comeback after two career-threatening injuries. "I cannot call this dream-come-true yet, though beating someone like Karlovic is great," the 27-year-old Chiudenelli said. "I think I will have to beat a few more players before I can call it a dream come true."
Fourth-seeded David Ferrer of Spain defeated Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, and fifth-seeded Marin Cilic of Croatia rallied to beat Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia 2-6, 7-6, 6-4.
"It was really tough to get back in the match after losing that first set, losing my first two service games," Cilic said. "It helped that I saved two break points in the first game of the second set and got myself a little bit into the match, and started serving a bit better after that."
The tournament has been hit hard by withdrawals. Top-ranked Rafael Nadal and No. 2 Roger Federer pulled out with injuries, while defending champion Andy Roddick withdrew under protest over the visa fiasco. Nikolay Davydenko and Fernando Verdasco also pulled out.
In Florida, second-seeded Sam Querrey defeated Guillermo Canas of Argentina 7-6 (3), 6-4 to advance to the second round at the Delray Beach International.
American Querrey, who asked for a wildcard into the tournament on Friday, had 13 aces during the 1 hour, 38 minute match. Querrey took advantage of three of 10 break points and will next face Christophe Rochus of Belgium, a 6-3, 6-4 winner over Croatia's Roko Karanusic.
"He makes a lot of balls and he makes you work for every point," said Querrey, who reached the quarterfinals of San Jose and Memphis the past two weeks.
"I kind of had a little cold last week and early on in the first set I was feeling winded after some of those long points. He always makes you hit another ball on every point."
Earlier, Austrian Stefan Koubek's return from injury continued to gain momentum as he beat American Bobby Reynolds 6-4, 6-3.
"In general, I'm very happy because it was quite easy," said Koubek, who was sidelined for six months after surgery to repair a spinal disk last May. "It was a very solid match."
The 266th-ranked Koubek, who won the tournament in 2000, broke serve twice in the first set and once in the second set to secure the win.
"I only won three tournaments in my career so if I come back to one of those it's always something special," Koubek said. "It feels kind of strange because it was nine years ago. I must be an old guy on the tour."
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