Murray reaches first French Open semifinals
Source: Agencies |
June 3, 2011, Friday
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ANDY Murray suffered lapses in concentration in a 7-6, 7-5, 6-2 win over Juan Ignacio Chela on Wednesday to reach the French Open semifinals for the first time - and knows he must do better against Rafael Nadal.
The fourth-seeded Briton, whose campaign had looked in danger after twisting his ankle in a third-round win over Michael Berrer, recovered from two breaks down in the opening set to win a tiebreak 7-2 and blew a 5-2 lead in the second before getting his act together.
Murray, who has never won a grand slam title, was more consistent against unseeded Argentine Chela in the third set and sealed the win with a delicate drop shot.
"It was just very up and down. The wind obviously doesn't help but it was a really scrappy match," the Scot told a news conference. "I didn't start particularly well and then got a little bit better, started moving a bit better towards the end of the first set."
Murray must be switched on from the start to stand a chance of booking a place in the final because he faces world No. 1 Nadal after the five-time champion outplayed Swede Robin Soderling 6-4, 6-1, 7-6.
"I got up in the second, maybe lost concentration a little bit, which you can't afford to do against someone like Juan who has a lot of experience on this surface. Something I definitely won't get away with against Rafa," he added.
Murray possesses a seemingly nonchalant attitude but has shown plenty of fighting spirit on a slow surface he does not favor.
"I'm surprised I'm here, to be honest, because I haven't actually played that well. Aside from everything else that's happened I haven't played particularly well," he said.
Murray, the Australian Open runner-up, had looked on the brink of retirement against Serb Viktor Troicki in the last round as he struggled with that ankle injury, but came through in five sets.
Nadal has a 43-1 record at Roland Garros. Murray has a 4-10 record against the world No. 1 and has never beaten him in three encounters on clay although the Spaniard dropped a set at the Monte Carlo Masters this year when they met in the semifinals.
The fourth-seeded Briton, whose campaign had looked in danger after twisting his ankle in a third-round win over Michael Berrer, recovered from two breaks down in the opening set to win a tiebreak 7-2 and blew a 5-2 lead in the second before getting his act together.
Murray, who has never won a grand slam title, was more consistent against unseeded Argentine Chela in the third set and sealed the win with a delicate drop shot.
"It was just very up and down. The wind obviously doesn't help but it was a really scrappy match," the Scot told a news conference. "I didn't start particularly well and then got a little bit better, started moving a bit better towards the end of the first set."
Murray must be switched on from the start to stand a chance of booking a place in the final because he faces world No. 1 Nadal after the five-time champion outplayed Swede Robin Soderling 6-4, 6-1, 7-6.
"I got up in the second, maybe lost concentration a little bit, which you can't afford to do against someone like Juan who has a lot of experience on this surface. Something I definitely won't get away with against Rafa," he added.
Murray possesses a seemingly nonchalant attitude but has shown plenty of fighting spirit on a slow surface he does not favor.
"I'm surprised I'm here, to be honest, because I haven't actually played that well. Aside from everything else that's happened I haven't played particularly well," he said.
Murray, the Australian Open runner-up, had looked on the brink of retirement against Serb Viktor Troicki in the last round as he struggled with that ankle injury, but came through in five sets.
Nadal has a 43-1 record at Roland Garros. Murray has a 4-10 record against the world No. 1 and has never beaten him in three encounters on clay although the Spaniard dropped a set at the Monte Carlo Masters this year when they met in the semifinals.
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