Mercurial Murray fells Federer
Andy Murray knocks defending champion Roger Federer out of Masters Cup
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Friday, 14, Nov 2008 10:39
A tennis match of breathtaking quality and drama saw Andy Murray maintain his 100 per cent record at the Masters Cup while simultaneously eliminating reigning champion Roger Federer.
Murray bounced back after losing the first set to go toe-to-toe with one of the greatest players of all time, emerging victorious 4-6 7-6 7-5 with a supreme display of tactical, counter-attacking tennis.
The first set saw both players exchange breaks early on in a pulsating series of opening rallies.
But it was Murray who blinked when the set reached the crucial stages, as he broke the Scot at 4-5 to snatch it at the death.
The second set saw the 21-year-old post an immediate response, breaking the Swiss maestro at the first attempt to take the upper hand.
A second Murray break earned him the chance to serve for the second set at 5-2 but a lull in his concentration levels allowed Federer to break back.
The Scot's confidence seemed to ebb away as the world number two broke for a second time, with a flustered Murray appearing as if he would throw away the set - and the match - from a strong position.
But just when he looked to be on the slippery slope to defeat, Murray found some of his now infamous resolve to recover from 5-6 down - taking the set to a tiebreak and playing some fabulous points to win it 7-3.
The final set was a tribute to two of the top players on the planet playing at the very peak of their powers.
First, Murray looked to be on course to run away with the win after dominating the Swiss in the preceding tiebreak - stretching out a commanding 3-0 lead with a break.
The reigning champion has been troubled with a series of niggling injuries throughout the week.
And although he was receiving some treatment between games, his lack of practice time did not seem to be holding him back.
He staged a remarkable recovery to take four games in a row - turning the match on its head with two breaks to go 4-3 up.
At this point Murray could have capitulated. But he refused to buckle – breaking back immediately for a 5-4 lead on serve.
A mammoth tenth game saw 11 deuces - and five Murray match points - but still he could not put away the US Open champion as Federer eventually triumphed.
An easy Murray service hold followed to pile the pressure back on Federer.
And eventually that proved to be his undoing, as the young Scot showed just why he is becoming one of the most feared players in the game.
First he played some brilliant points, hammering home several returns deep and responding to Federer's attempts to dictate the points.
And when he established two more match points at 5-6, 15-40, one was all Murray needed to secure his place atop the red group in Shanghai - and send the defending champion tumbling out.