Brilliant Verdasco ends Murray's Australian dream
Andy Murray knocked out of Australian Open by Fernando Verdasco
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Monday, 26, Jan 2009 11:20
Fourth seed Andy Murray has been knocked out of the Australian Open after a five-set defeat to Spain's Fernando Verdasco in the fourth round.
A battling performance from the Scot was not enough to beat the 14th seed, who showed his very best form to secure a first-ever win over his opponent 2-6 6-1 1-6 6-3 6-4.
Murray looked below his best for large portions of the match, but started well enough as he took the first set with relative ease.
A lapse in concentration allowed Verdasco a route back into the match though, and with the early break of serve behind him he roared back to level things up.
In a feature that would dominate the contest, this time Murray picked up the early break of serve as the Spaniard faltered somewhat - handing a 2-1 lead to the Scot as he crumbled in the latter stages of the set.
But if some portions of the crowd thought this would signal a collapse from Verdasco, they were proved wrong as he picked up his game early in the fourth set.
Murray had few answers as his opponent, who has come through the draw somewhat under the radar, began to get his blistering forehand operating.
Verdasco took the set 6-3 to force a deciding set and continued his high level of intensity in a bid to throw Murray off his game.
This prompted the Scot to retreat into his shell, playing increasingly defensive shots and hoping for an error from his opponent.
But Verdasco was playing some of the tennis of his life as he stuck with a misfiring Murray until the seventh game, having saved numerous break points in a tight sixth, when he sealed the all-important breakthrough.
With an uphill fight on his hands, Murray failed to find a way past the confident and now boisterous Spaniard who underlined his impressive serving with a series of booming shots and showed great control as he took everything the 21-year-old Scot could throw at him.
And finally the challenge of staving off the Verdasco freight train proved too much, despite Murray bravely saving two match points at 5-4 on the 14th seed's serve, as the underdog ended the tournament of one of the bookies' favourites.